Former Kenyatta National Hospital Director of Communications, Hezekiel Gikambi, today gave emotional testimony before a Nairobi court in the inquest probing the circumstances surrounding the death of celebrated Kenyan Swahili author Professor Ken Walibora.
Testifying before Magistrate Hon. Mutai, Gikambi who is the current Communication director, Ministry of Tourism, recounted the events leading up to the discovery of Walibora’s body. He told the court that while carrying out his normal duties, he began receiving urgent calls from Prof. Clara Momanyi, Hamisi Babusa, and editors from Nation Media Group who were trying to reach the renowned author. According to Gikambi, the editors were concerned because Walibora had been working on a special publication whose completion had become urgent.
Gikambi further revealed that prior to his death, Walibora had travelled to Zanzibar and, upon returning to Kenya at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, had isolated himself for two weeks in line with guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health Kenya.
After numerous unsuccessful attempts to contact the writer by phone, Gikambi said he decided to visit Walibora’s residence in Lavington. However, he found the house locked and was informed by a security guard that the author had left several days earlier and had not been seen since.
Concerned about his whereabouts, Gikambi proceeded to Central Police Station to report the matter. While heading to file a missing person report at either Muthangari or Kamukunji Police Station, he received a call from the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) at Central Police Station directing him to Kenyatta National Hospital to help identify the body of an unknown person.
At the hospital, Gikambi told the court he was devastated to discover that the body was that of his friend, Walibora. A search conducted on the body recovered Walibora’s business card and car keys, which were handed over to him.
He further testified that the body had sustained severe injuries, appearing badly smashed. His observations were later confirmed in a post-mortem conducted by Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor, which established that Walibora died from excessive bleeding caused by deep cuts to the hand and jaw resulting from high-impact trauma.
Evidence presented before the inquest indicates that Walibora was allegedly knocked down by a speeding vehicle along Landhies Road near Muthurwa Market on April 10, 2020. The vehicle suspected to have hit him is an Isuzu bus belonging to Double M Connections, registration number KBR 949S, which was later impounded and held at Kamukunji Police Station as investigations continued.
The inquest into Walibora’s death is set to continue on May 12 as the court seeks to establish the full circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.
