Rawson Mbugua Macharia (born 1911, d. 5 December 2008, aged 96[1]) was the key prosecution witness at the trial of the Kapenguria Six, who included Jomo Kenyatta.
He further claimed that the oath-taking involved stripping naked and drinking human blood.
He had himself been offered a university course in public administration at Exeter University, protection for his family, and a government job on his return from the UK[3] The affidavit was backed by a letter, apparently from the Attorney-General at the time of the trial, detailing the promised benefits.
[4] So it transpired that the convictions had been obtained by a trial at which it was conceded by the government that the witnesses had been coached (to better enable them to stand up to hostile cross-examination), that they had been paid (as compensation for loss of livelihood), and that Macharia had both lied at the trial and received benefits.
[1] Macharia died after being hit by a motorcyclist while crossing Thika Road on 5 December 2008.