Dr. Hussein Moosajee from Avenue Hospital testified before trial judge Lilian Mutende that the bleeding was from a cut on the deceased’s right lower leg. He indicated that the injury likely did not directly lead to death, suggesting that the deceased might have contracted sepsis (a blood infection).
“Asad lost a significant amount of blood, but the leg injury was not the sole cause of his death,” he stated.
Asad was initially taken to The Nairobi Hospital but was transferred to Avenue at the request of his family, where he suffered a cardiac arrest.
“His heart stopped, and he needed resuscitation. His organs were in poor condition,” Moosajee reported.
When Senior Counsel Philip Murgor asked whether transferring Asad was wise given his condition, the witness admitted he was unaware of the patient’s state at that time.
“I saw a critically ill patient when I was called to assess him after his arrival at Avenue,” he said.
Asad remained unconscious at Avenue, where he ultimately died. The doctor noted they could not determine any underlying conditions beyond his known diabetes and hypertension. Asad Khan passed away on December 18, 2022.
His girlfriend, rally driver Maxine Wahome, is charged with murder, which she denies.
Counsel Murgor referenced three medical reports during the hearing, seeking clarity on the cause of Asad’s death.
“All three postmortem reports agree he died from septicaemia, a blood infection. Did you treat him for septicaemia?” Murgor inquired.
“No, we did not treat him for septicaemia,” Moosajee replied, though he noted that Asad’s diabetes and high blood pressure weakened his immune system, making him more susceptible to sepsis.
The witness acknowledged the possibility that Asad contracted sepsis while at their facility, which can lead to organ failure. One postmortem report indicated that the immediate cause of death was multi-drug resistant organisms commonly acquired in hospitals, with risk factors including multiple indwelling catheters and lapses in infection prevention protocols.
In September of last year, a video was shown in court in which an emotional Wahome recounted to her father and detectives an assault by Asad prior to his death. The hearing will continue on Tuesday.
