Lance Corporal Nicholas Githaiga fell three storeys to his death. Neighbours heard Githaiga’s friend’s voice frantically shouting for him on loudspeaker after he fell. The 32-year-old soldier who is based in Germany was on the phone with Eva Muthoni at the time of his death.
An inquest at Southwark Coroner’s Court heard that the soldier was at the window smoking a cigarette when the phone fell from his hand. He desperately tried to grab hold of it, but instead fell out of the window to his death.
L Cpl Githaiga was due for a medical discharge from the army and had been suffering from stress. The father-of-two had been married but his wife Danielle Pigurs had tried to have him arrested for drink driving. Daniella complained to German police that Nicholas had been drink driving but the charges were not followed up.
About two hours after the conversation had started he said, “My phone is falling. Wait, wait.”
‘We were on loudspeaker, so I could hear him. Then there was a small bang. I repeatedly called his name but there was silence.
‘For most of the time I could hear that the phone was still on. I do not believe Nicholas would hurt himself, he was so full of life. I do not believe he is the type of person to hurt himself.’
L Cpl Githaiga lived in an apartment block in Versmold, northern Germany, with his friends. No members of his family appeared at the inquest into his death.