A Kenyan man who claimed to be the husband of a woman who perished in the Ethiopian Airlines crash has taken his own life.
Brian Aris Kobiero stood to receive millions in compensation fees if he won the case.
The deceased who was a teacher at Nyang’oma Boys Secondary School, was found dead on Thursday by his father at their home in Sega, Siaya County.
According to Ugenya North Chief Joseph Oroko, who confirmed the news, the deceased may have taken his life as a result of depression brought on by the legal battle.
Kobiero was fighting to establish his rightful status as Christine Tanner’s husband.
The chief said that the deceased was distraught after his alleged wife’s son, Hunter Tanner French, refused to acknowledge him.
Mr French resides in Canada.
Early this year, Kobiero who was purportedly named as the trustee of his late wife’s estate, filed a lawsuit against Hunter.
On March 25, 2022, Kobiero testified before the Siaya High Court that he had connected with Ms. Tanner over LinkedIn and that they had subsequently lived together in his Narok home when she moved to Kenya.
He told the court that he introduced Ms Tanner to his parents as his wife.
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“I renovated and re-thatched my house ‘simba’ as required by the Luo traditions of a man ready to marry, she was welcomed and the marriage ceremony was conducted as the culture requires,” he said.
The court also heard that Kobiero has not been intimate with another woman since his alleged wife died.
“I spent three nights outside my house as required of a widower under Luo customs of burial rites to signify mourning of the lost loved one. I have not entered into any relationship or been in any intimate affair with any woman ever since I lost my wife.”
Mr French, however, dismissed Kobiero’s claims as false saying that his mother never told him about a relationship with a Kenyan man.
The pretrial hearing had been set for September 20, 2022.
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