EX-MP BETTY TETT EXPECTED IN COURT OVER PLANNED MURDER OF NAIROBI BUSINESSMAN

Former assistant minister Betty Tett at the Kabete Police Station on December 31, 2014 where she recorded a statement. She will be arraigned in court on January 2, 2015 over an alleged conspiracy to murder her business rival, Mr Andrew John Laird White. HOTO EVANS HABIL| NATION MEDIA GROUP 

By ABIUD OCHIENG

A prominent politician alleged to have colluded with a hitman in the planned murder of a Nairobi businessman is expected in court Friday, police have said.

Former assistant minister Betty Tett will face charges of conspiracy to kill, after the police linked her to the attempted murder of her business rival, Mr Andrew John Laird White.

Police alleged that Mrs Tett had hired a jailbird, Mr John Wachira Linus, to kill the Nairobi-based businessman.

She will be the second suspect to take plea after Mr Wachira, who pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the charge of conspiracy to kill Mr Laird and was remanded until Monday, when his bond application will be heard.

It was alleged that on diverse dates between August 1 and December 29 at an unknown place in Nairobi County, jointly with others not before court, they conspired to kill Mr Laird.

PAID TO EXECUTE PLAN

The prosecution told a Kibera court that Mrs Tett had paid Mr Wachira a substantial amount of money to execute the plan.

Mr Wachira was acquitted of charges of robbery with violence in 2012 because of lack of evidence.

It was alleged that the relationship between Mrs Tett and Mr Laird was strained after the latter pulled out of an advertisement business they were operating together.

The police also produced money-transfer messages allegedly sent by Mrs Tett to Mr Wachira.

The police managed to put a trap on the accused after he tried to solicit more money from the intended victim so that he could drop the killing mission.

“Mr Wachira went to Mr Laird’s home in Lavington, Nairobi, asking for more money so that he (would abandon) the killing plan.

“However, Mr Laird reported the incident to the police and he (Mr Wachira) was arrested on the day he came to collect the money he wanted,” said lawyer Cliff Ombetta, representing Mr Laird.

The lawyer added that Mr Laird believed his life was in danger because the accused had showed him correspondence about the planned murder that turned out to be accurate.

Mr Wachira was arrested on December 29 and taken to court. The court, however, ordered that he should be taken to hospital for treatment after he alleged to be unwell.

On Wednesday, the prosecution confirmed that the accused had received medical attention at Kenyatta National Hospital.

Mrs Tett had been called by the police to shed more light on the accusations levelled against her, but she failed to turn up, saying she was unwell and had gone to see a doctor.

She was arrested later Wednesday for questioning.

CREDIT SOURCE: NMG