Criminal case stalls for a year after suspect jumps bail

A criminal case at the Eldoret Magistrate Court has stalled for almost a year after a suspect who was released on bond went missing for the fourth time in a row.

The suspect, Sammy Kipruto, secured his freedom last year after he convinced the presiding magistrate Richard Odenyo that he was not a flight risk. He had assured the court during his plea-taking session that he was ready and willing to abide by all the court conditions. In the criminal case, he is accused of threatening to kill an Eldoret real estate developer Duncan Kitur.

Kipruto was arrested by a team of police officers from Chepkanga police station on October 25 last year and arraigned in court where he was charged in connection with the offence.  He denied the charge and the court released him on a Sh70,000 bond with surety of a similar amount.

Every times the matter comes up before the magistrate, the prosecution always brings to the attention of the court that police were still searching for the suspect whose whereabouts remain a mystery.

The accused is said to have threatened to terminate the life of Kitur using a machete on September 15, 2023 after a confrontation that ensued between the two over a three-acre prime piece of land worth Sh30 million which is under ownership dispute between the real estate developer and a former lawmaker.

Kipruto is said to have worked for the ex-MP.

The contested property is located at Chemaluk area in the on outskirt of Eldoret town along Eldoret-Iten highway in Uasin Gishu County.

Since the hearing of the case commenced last year, the suspect has not turned up in court prompting the presiding magistrate to adjourn the case at least four times.

A warrant of arrest issued against him by the court has proved fruitless with the police unable to arrest the suspect eleven months down the line after he switched off all his mobile phone lines.

The case will be mentioned in January.