NYAHURURU, Kenya, May 23 – The mother of fallen athletics icon Samuel Kamau Wanjiru was Monday set to withdraw a case barring her daughter-in-law from burying him.
Ann Wanjiru told Capital News that she was ready to withdraw the case on Monday at the Nakuru High court, following extensive consultations with family members and close friends of the athlete who died after falling off a balcony at his Nyahururu home a week ago.
"I had felt that I was being left out of the burial plans of my son and that is why I moved to court to block the proceedings but I intend to withdraw the case after we discussed that matter and came into an agreement," she said.
She however declined to disclose further details agreed at the meetings saying they were "in-house."
The new stance is a culmination of three days of closed door meetings between her, family members and scores of close friends from Nyahururu who have been streaming the home to persuade her to change her position.
Wanjiru’s mother is said to have refused to talk to a group of elders selected from the burial committee to reconcile her with her daughter in-law on the funeral arrangements.
"She adamantly refused to get out of the bedroom and switched off her phone so as to keep off the discussions," a source close to the family who requested anonymity said.
The intervention of former athletic stars Moses Tanui, Paul Tergat and John Ngugi is said to have contributed immensely to the change of heart.
Nakuru High Court judge Anyara Emukule had also urged the family to avoid court battles and instead join the rest of Kenyans and the rest of the world in giving the late hero a warm send off, saying that the family squabbles were portraying the country in bad light.
The meetings to persuade Wanjiru\’s mother to withdraw the court injunction barring his widow from carrying on with burial arrangements kicked off on Thursday.
The late Wanjiru\’s mother had not only failed to recognise Njeri as her son\’s lawfully wedded wife but also wanted her investigated over possible foul play, arguing that it appeared as if her son was hit with a metal bar.
The Olympic champion record holder is alleged to have fallen off the balcony of his house at Muthaiga estate in Nyahururu after he was busted by his wife with a woman in bed on the night of May 15.
Police are investigating reports that he fell off the balcony while trying to reach out to his wife and restrain her from calling neighbours or reporting the matter to the police.
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