Man who hung on CS Munya's chopper referred to hospital

A man who caused a major security scare in Meru when he clung onto Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya's chopper as it took off will spend six months at the Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital for treatment.

On Monday, Ms Mercy Nyoroka was shocked after efforts to save her son from being incarcerated were thwarted by Maua Resident Magistrate Chesoni Khanali.

The magistrate ordered that Mr Joakim Mutwiri be treated before he can be charged with attempted suicide, after a doctor's report from Nyambene Sub-County Hospital indicated he was mentally ill.

The report, dated July 1, recommended that Mr Mutwiri first be treated and undergo rehabilitation before being charged with the offence.

Following an application by state counsel Abdi Noor, the magistrate directed the Maua Police Station commander to take the man to the hospital with the help of Ms Nyoroka.

Mother's plea rejected

Ms Nyoroka had pleaded with the court to be allowed to treat her son at home but was overruled.

“Why is he being taken to Nairobi? I don’t want my son to go that far, I will take care of him,” she said.

In mitigation, Mr Mutwiri also asked the court to allow him to seek treatment from home. “I don't want to be taken to Mathari. Does it mean by just clinging on the helicopter I became mad?” he posed. 

But the magistrate declined his plea.

“According to this report, the court cannot allow you to go home since you have to first be treated as an inpatient, after which the doctor will review your condition,” she ruled. 

“It is the doctor’s recommendation on your progress that will allow us to consider releasing you so that you can continue with your treatment at home.”

Ms Nyoroka told the Nation that she has four other children to take care of and although her son would be treated by the State, she didn't know how to raise money to travel to Nairobi to see him.

“Isn't there any other hospital where he can be treated? I am willing to undertake my son’s treatment, but taking him to Nairobi is unfair,” she said.

She said that since Mr Mutwiri was remanded at the Kangeta prison two weeks ago, she had walked 20km twice to see him.

No money to travel to Nairobi

“I didn't have fare, as I do casual jobs. Where will I get money to travel to Nairobi to see him? We should not be punished because the police are the ones who did not do their job. If they had guarded the helicopter, my son could not have found himself in this problem,” she said.

Mr Mutwiri shocked residents of Kiegoi market in Igembe South on June 22 when he sat on the skids of the helicopter as it took off. Also in the chopper was East African Legislative Assembly member MP Mpuru Aburi.

As the drama unfolded, with worried residents shouting at the pilot, Mr Aburi could be seen through the window trying to say something to some residents who were cheering Mr Mutwiri, who has since been nicknamed ‘James Bond II’.

In January 2017, Mr Julius Mwithalie took security officers by surprise when he clung onto a chopper carrying ODM leader Raila Odinga at the Maili Tatu grounds in Igembe Central.

The pilot landed after a few minutes at a primary school in Tigania East, some 20km away. Mr Mwithalie, who earned himself the James Bond tag, was charged with attempted suicide but Mr Odinga intervened and he was released.