Venezuela diplomat charged in Kenya with murder of envoy

Nairobi, 07 Aug – (ANA) - A senior Venezuelan diplomat in Kenya has been charged  with the murder of the  acting head of mission at her official residence in an upmarket area of the capital Nairobi. Olga Fonseca was found strangled in her bedroom late last month and less than two weeks into her posting, which followed the abrupt departure of the previous ambassador after he was accused by his domestic staff of sexual harassment. Dwight Sagaray, the first secretary at the embassy, was remanded in custody by Judge Florence Muchemi to await trial. The prosecution told the court at his first appearance that his diplomatic immunity has been waived. Two Kenyan security guards at Fonseca's compound were last week charged with failing to use any reasonable means to stop her murder. They both pleaded not guilty. Judge Muchemi also issued a warrant of arrest for Sagaray's friend, Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed Hassan, who police sought last week in connection with Fonseca's death. Detectives in the case told Reuters last week that Fonseca, whom officials in Caracas termed a brilliant diplomat, was most likely killed in a power struggle at the embassy over key posts. They said that Hassan, a Kenyan man of Somali descent, had in the past "masqueraded as a Venezuelan embassy official" and was known to have used Sagaray's official vehicle. (ANA)

FA/ANA/07 August 2012---------