Mixed reactions after arrest of Kiambu politician over her husband’s death
By Oliver Musembi and Mathew.Ndungu, October 17, 2022The arrest of Kiambu politician Gladys Chania on Friday over the murder of her husband, Rwanda-based engineer and businessman George Mwangi, came as a shock to many of her friends and acquaintances.
Chania, a professional teacher and counselling psychologist, was also Jubilee Party’s Woman Rep candidate for Kiambu in the August 9 elections.
The graduate of St John’s Teachers College, Kilimambogo, also operated the Right at Home rehabilitation centre for alcoholics in Thika town before venturing into politics in the run-up to the 2013 elections in which she attempted to vie for the county MP post on a TNA Party ticket, but lost the nomination to Ann Nyokabi.
Later, Chania became the coordinator of TNA in Kiambu and was instrumental in the issuance of party tickets to aspirants for various electoral positions.
Pending cases
However, unbeknown to many, the politician has been in and out of police and court cells over a number of criminal cases some involving allegations of defrauding members of the public of cash. Some of the cases are still pending in the Kiambu and Thika law courts even as she was picked up from her home in Mang’u, Gatundu North by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in connection with the gruesome murder of her husband.
One of such cases still pending in the Kiambu court is that of members of a church group who have accused Chania of fraudulently obtaining Sh 500,000 from them promising to initiate a youth empowerment program.
When the matter came up for mention early last week, the complainants were informed that the accused was not in court and it was adjourned to another date.
Mwangi’s body was found wrapped in a black polythene bag last Wednesday at Kieni forest also in Gatundu North, two days after Chania had reported him missing at the local Mwea police station. The deceased was said to have had a frosty relationship with his wife for a long time. Police linked his killing to a love affair with another woman.
Morning TV shows
Incidentally, Chania has been appearing on TV morning shows as a guest on a wide range of social topics including tackling family conflict. She was the coordinator of TNA in Kiambu until the party was dissolved prior to the 2017 elections to form Jubilee.
Afterwards, Chania joined Kanu and was widely expected to contest on the party ticket before she got the Jubilee certificate to run for County Woman Rep position.
Detectives probing Mwangi’s murder have intensified evidence gathering before arraigning suspects in court and have so far visited three lead scenes including the forest where Mwangi’s mutilated body was found.
Other scenes include his matrimonial home in Mang’u village where investigators found the weapons believed to have been used to carry out the murder alongside the vehicle that ferried the body to the forest.