A FORMER Kenyan cabinet minister has told a court that she twice met a man on the day he allegedly mur-dered a Scots geologist.

Dr Naomi Shaaban yesterday testified for the defence in the trial of eight men charged with the murder of geologist Campbell Bridges five years ago.

Dr Shaaban, the Taveta MP, claimed that Daniel Mudashi Munene Suleiman met her at her Nairobi office on the day of the murder, August 11, 2009.

The former minister said he came to her office at 9.30am and at 7.30pm wanting money to sue Mr Bridges over a mining site dispute.

She also told Justice Maureen Odero that she stood surety for the accused when he was arrested and charged with the murder.

Suleiman and others have denied murdering Mr Brid-ges 300 miles away at Mwasui Mwatate in Taita Taveta County.

Mr Bridges was speared to death by the villagers following a long standing dispute over a gemstone mine in Mwatate.

The court was shown Dr Shaaban's visitor book from the day which included details of Suleiman's visits, but the secretary who wrote them could not be traced.

It was also pointed out that the other messages in the visitors book were properly spaced, but the ones on August 10 and 11 were squeezed .

The trial continues.