Why I dislike Esther Arunga – Quincy Timberlake’s mother

By Baraka Karama and Evelyn Makena.

Quincy Timberlake’s mother, Rosemeg Wambita, has slammed former KTN news anchor Esther Arunga, as a “derailer”, who “embezzled my son’s money”.

Ms Wambita, a staffer at a public hospital in Kisumu, further claims it is Esther Arunga who led her son, whom she terms as a God-fearing person, astray.

The elderly woman’s remarks come just a day after Ms Arunga admitted before an Australian court that she lied to protect her husband, Quincy Timberlake, after the death of their son in 2014.

“I do not want to see [Esther] Arunga. Finally, the truth has come out. My son resorted to devil-worshipping because of her,” Ms Wambita told K24 Digital on Tuesday, July 16 in Mbeme Village in Kisumu East.

“I was happy when I learned that Esther Arunga faces a possible jail term of 25 years. She has really derailed my son. Honestly speaking, I do not like her, at all. Should she be deported back to Kenya, she shouldn’t come to see me. I only want to see my son’s former wife, not Ms Arunga,” said Ms Wambita.

“It is because of Esther that my son took Ksh5 million to her parents as her dowry. It is because of Esther that my son used his money to fly Esther’s dad out of Kenya for treatment. The medical attention lasted two years,” said the mother-of-eight, adding: “My son said he was pushed into devil-worship.”

K24 Digital’s attempts to get Esther Arunga’s family to comment on the recent developments bore no fruit as the ex-journalist’s mother told our reporter that she doesn’t want to talk about the matter.

-Arunga’s woes-

At the peak of her illustrious career as a news anchor, Esther Arunga graced television screens and won over hearts for her beauty and composure.

But the former KTN news presenter is now facing murder charges after she admitted in an Australian court that she misled the police after the death of her son in 2014 to protect her husband.

Arunga admitted to charges of being an accessory to murder after the fact to manslaughter. She admitted to having lied to the police to protect her husband Quincy Timberlake, from punishment.

Their son, Sinclair Timberlake, suffered serious injuries at their home at Kallangur, North of Brisbane, Australia in 2014. Quincy was charged with murder three months after the incident.

Danny Boyle, the Crown Prosecutor told the court that on June 18, 2014, Arunga dialed the Australian emergency number triple zero just before 2am and when the paramedics and police arrived, the 38-year-old told them her son had fallen off the stairs while playing with his two-year-old brother.

She claimed that she had given her son a painkiller to put him to sleep but his condition worsened.

Autopsy results, however, contradicted her statement as they showed that Sinclair died “as a result of a severe blunt force such as punching or stamping”.

The prosecutor said by lying, Arunga diverted the attention from her husband for 26 days, and delayed the investigation and her husband’s arrest.

Esther Arunga changed her statement after Quincy, a former presidential aspirant, was involuntarily admitted to a mental institution.

-Inaccurate account-

In her statement, the former journalist told police she found Quincy in the bathroom hitting his son in the stomach and later threw him against the wall.

She claimed her husband said there was a devil in the child’s stomach, which he needed to remove.

Defence barrister Katarina Prskalo said Arunga had not realised her husband’s mental status until the day of the murder. The court heard that she did not speak up earlier because she was afraid.

“I was terrified of being alone and I felt terrible because my husband was sick as well,” she told police.

Boyle said although Arunga had not interfered with evidence, her inaccurate account delayed the investigation and her husband’s arrest.

“She was the only eye witness to what could be described as the brutal killing of her son,” he said. Prskalo defended Arunga saying she also had mental issues of her own. 

Justice Martin Burns will sentence Arunga on Thursday.

Ms Arunga enjoyed a high-flying career in media until her path took a downturn when the former KTN news caster got involved with Quincy in 2009.

-Bewitched her-

He was linked with the controversial Finger of God Church.

At the time, Ms Arunga was engaged to businessman Wilson Malaba but the two parted ways just two months to the wedding in 2010 and she got married to Quincy.

The couple moved to Australia after they were granted asylum on grounds that Quincy’s life was under threat after being arrested and charged with being involved in a cult.

“The charges were later dropped in 2012 for lack of evidence,” said Joseph Hellon, the founder of the Finger of God Church, on phone.

Hellon said he believed Quincy bewitched her.

“Ms Arunga was attracted to rich bad boys, which fitted the description of Quincy, but I am convinced that he used dark forces to lure her into a relationship,” he says.