The family of Rally driver Maxine Wahome Tuesday maintained her innocence ahead of her plea taking on Wednesday and expressed their confidence in winning the case.
In their first-ever press briefing since the case began late last year, Ms Wahome’s family, through their new lawyer Phillip Murgor, expressed their concern on how the State reached its decision to charge her with the murder of her boyfriend and fellow rally driver, Asad Khan.
The 27-year-old, who is been detained at Kilimani Police Station, Tuesday successfully underwent a mental health assessment at Mathari Hospital to determine whether she is fit to stand trial.
Assistant Director of DPP Gikui Gichuhi requested the court to order a mental assessment before Ms Wahome is charged on Wednesday.
Justice Lilian Mutende allowed the request after informing Maxine of the charge that has been filed against her by the DPP.
Mr Murgor said that after reviewing all the facts in the case, he still does not understand why his client was charged with murder, but added he would not go into the merits or demerits of the case yet.
He also urged the State prosecutors and the police dealing with the case to swiftly forward him all the evidence they have expeditious hearing of the case.
“I have been engaged to lead in the defense of Maxine now that a very surprising charge of murder has been proffered against her. I have reviewed the facts that are in the knowledge of the family and all her friends and from where I stand, I can say with absolute confidence that Maxine is innocent,” he said.
Murgor said there is no justification for the State to charge her with murder and also urged the State not to oppose their bail application after the plea-taking.
“We have not seen the evidence they will provide but we just want to say that tomorrow when she is taken to court, we expect the State will not oppose bail,” he said.
Though she agreed to the request for the mental assessment, Justice Mutende revoked Ms Wahome’s Sh100,000 cash bail that had been initially granted by Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi and ordered she remains in the custody of DCI Kilimani until the day of her plea-taking.
The High Court noted that Ms Wahome is now facing a capital offence, whose verdict carries a mandatory death sentence or life imprisonment upon conviction.