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The devastated cousin of an Australian woman murdered in Nairobi has paid tribute to the ‘wonderful mum.’
Teacher Gabrielle Maina, a mother-of-two from Armidale in NSW, was reportedly kneeling when she was shot dead in the street, in an affluent area of Nairobi last week. That news has sparked speculation of an execution-style killing, rather than a robbery gone wrong – as was initially suspected.
‘I am so shocked by this news and my heart is broken especially for your Mum, brother and your gorgeous little boys who now have to grow up without their Mumma,’ Gabrielle’s cousin Annabel Smith posted to Facebook about her sad passing.
‘I wish I could just see you one last time and tell you how amazing you are, what a wonderful Mum you are, how much I love you and give you a massive cuddle.’
In a shock development, it’s reported Gabrielle’s estranged husband and one of his relatives have been detained – but charges are yet to be laid.
The devoted mum – who was trying to gain custody of her two precious sons – allegedly took out a restraining order against her husband in April this year.
Her lawyer George Kingori told the ABC: ‘She required a restraining order against the husband for constantly stalking, approaching her place of work and as well as the residence,’ he said.
‘The husband would constantly show up at her place of work and constantly sending messages. She was afraid.’
Granting police more time to hold the suspects, Magistrate Derrick Khaemba Kuto warned the two men could face the death penalty.
‘At this point the respondents are innocent. It ought to be noted however, that if the police charge them with murder, the same will be a serious offence, which carries mandatory death penalty,’ he said.
Gabrielle married Cyrus in 2001 and they moved to Nairobi in 2015, so their children could experience another culture and grow up with their extended family.
This article originally appeared on New Idea.
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