A catholic priest charged at a Makueni Court for attempting to murder his colleague in 2010 at the Makueni parish house will know his fate on 7th May 2014. Senior Resident Magistrate Richard Koech while setting the judgment date for the case in which Fr.Wambua Makewa who is accused of shooting and injuring Fr.Fidhelis Nzuki on the 21st day of March said that he needed ample time to study the voluminous evidence to arrive at a verdict.
This is the second time the case is being heard after the accused appealed after a Tawa court in Mbooni sentenced Fr.Makewa to seven years in jail for attempting kill Fr Nzuki.
In his June 18, 2012, Tawa Senior Resident Magistrate Waititu Gachimu said that the prosecution had established beyond reasonable doubt that the Fr.Makewa was guilty of the charge. Gachimu had said that although the motive of the shooting was clouded in mystery the testimony by Fr Nzuki was believable.
The former Makueni father -in -charge who has since been ex- communicated from the church has however denied attempting to kill his fellow priest and insists that he is innocent.
While giving his testimony the accused said that Fr.Nzuki was a close confidante of seven years and had no intentions of killing him. The accused told the court that Fr,Nzuki was shot by thugs who had invaded the parish house at 5 am on the fateful day.
He said on that day Fr. Nzuki had visited them at the parish as usual and had exchanged pleasantries before they went to bed following a power blackout.
The accused said he later heard gunshots, rushed to wake up his visitors and noticed Nzuki had been shot. While giving his final submissions ,the accused lawyer Fred Nemisi the said the prosecution bungled the investigations.
