Six people charged with the murder of former Juja MP George Thuo 10 years ago have a case to answer, a court ruled Wednesday.
They include a bar proprietor and his five employees.
Justice Roselyn Korir ruled that the accused persons were found culpable and put on their defence.
The judge noted that she had considered the prosecution case on witnesses’ evidence and exhibits produced in court.
“I note the prosecution has established a prima facie case against the accused persons to warrant this court to place them on their defence,” the judge ruled.
The six are, Paul Wainaina Boiyo alias Sheki of Porkies Club and his employees Christine Lumbazio Andika alias Lumba, Andrew Karanja Wainaina, Samwel Kuria alias Visi, Esther Ndinda Mulinge and Ruth Watahi Irungu alias Atlanta.
They are alleged to have killed Thuo on November 17, 2013.
Their defence lawyer Cliff Ombeta said his clients will give sworn evidence in their defence.
The prosecution called 30 witnesses to testify in the case.
The case will come up on February 14 for a defence hearing.
Lawyer John Khaminwa for one of the accused had said that before Thuo went to Porkies Club, he had been drinking alcohol elsewhere.
Khaminwa submitted that the former MP had a heart problem and “was receiving treatment from time to time”.
“The evidence from South Africa has never been produced in court and thus the case is incurable,” Khaminwa said.
Chief Inspector Maxwell Otieno, the lead investigator, told the court the Tusker beer bottle from which Thuo was drinking and the clothes he was wearing were taken to the Government Chemist and the test results indicated that the former legislator had been poisoned.
According to the police officer, a post-mortem showed that he had died due to excessive bleeding.
Otieno said the accused’s interview statements indicated a possibility that they took part in the poisoning of Thuo, who was served three bottles of beer at the bar.
Dr Andrew Gachii, a consultant pathologist and forensic specialist who participated in the joint post-mortem for the family, told the court Thuo died from haemorrhagic gastroenteritis caused by poisoning.
