Court allows murder suspect Maxine Wahome to join family for festivities
Rally driver Maxine Wahome at the Milimani Law Courts on September 27, 2023 during the murder trial of Asad Khan (inset).
What you need to know:
- The previous bond terms limited Maxine to only talk to her parents, Beverly and James Wahome.
- She was also ordered to move in with her parents and stay within the jurisdiction of the court.
- She was also ordered to deposit her passport in court.
A judge has amended the bond terms in rally ace Assad Khan's murder case by allowing the accused, Maxine Wahome, to join her relatives for the Christmas and New year festivities.
Lady Justice Lilian Mutende who is in charge of the murder case, amended a term of the bond conditions she imposed on March 30 which required Maxine not to inter-mingle or talk to her relatives who have been listed as prosecution witnesses to preserve the sanctity of the trial.
Lady Justice Mutende adjourned the case for eight months on Friday.
Justice Mutende allowed Maxine to join her sister Stephanie Wairimu and others jetting into the country from overseas for a family get-together over the Christmas and New Year festivities.
The previous bond terms limited Maxine to only talk to her parents, Beverly and James Wahome.
She was also ordered to move in with her parents and stay within the jurisdiction of the court.
She was also ordered to deposit her passport in court.
Lawyer Steve Kimathi, who is teaming up with Senior Counsel and former DPP Philip Murgor, Eva Kala and Andrew Musangi to defend Maxine, told the court that Maxine "leads a lonely life as she cannot talk with her sisters or close relatives. She only talks to her parents.”
Kimathi urged the judge to intervene and amend that aspect of the bond term to allow her talk to Wairimu once she flies into the country from overseas.
Wairimu is also one of the 18 prosecutions witnesses awaiting to testify alongside her parents against Maxine.
The application was not opposed by state prosecutors Allen Mulama and Sarah Ogweno.
“On humanitarian grounds, we do not oppose the application for Maxine to join her sisters, brothers and parents during the festive season,” Mulama stated.
Justice Mutende ruled: “The application by the defence is allowed as prayed.”
Mulama sought for an adjournement saying he had only bonded four witnesses this week.
Justice Mutende fixed the case for further hearing May 15, 2024.
The trial of Maxine Wahome for the murder of rally driver Asad Khan began on Wednesday at the Milimani High Court, with revelations that he was a violent man.
Chemutai Sogomo Chepkorir, the first prosecution witness before Justice Lilian Mutende, said Asad “had six previous relationships that broke due to his violent character”.
Chemutai, who was a neighbour to the deceased since 2013 at Preston Court Apartment in Kileleshwa, Nairobi, said only one of Asad’s relationships lasted long and it was because he had a child with the woman.
Giving her account of the events of December 12, 2022 incident that led to Asad’s death, Chemutai told Justice Mutende: “There was violence. I was terrified. I called my cousin to come and take me out of my house since I could not withstand the violence upstairs.”
She added that the relationship between Maxine and Asad was a violent one.
