Medical student, peasant farmer deny murder charges
By Winston Cheseremi Kenya, July 11, 2024
Two people, among them a first-year medical student, accused of killing a middle-aged man over two months ago on suspicion of being a burglar, have been charged with murder at Eldoret High Court.
Robert Kiplagat, a peasant farmer, and Alex Kiptoo, a Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) student at the Nairobi campus appeared before Judge Robert Wananda yesterday and denied the charge.
The packed court heard that they committed the offense on April 6, 2024 at HZ area in Keiyo South sub-county, Elgeyo Marakwet county. The duo are said to have killed Martin Makori.
The prosecution informed the court that a mental assessment was conducted on the accused persons and found that they were fit to face trial.
Lack of fees
Lawyer Joseph Kiplagat, representing the student, requested for his client to be released on reasonable bail saying that he was in college and eager to continue with his studies.
“Your honour, my client is a student at KMTC Nairobi campus but unfortunately, he dropped out of college early this year due to lack of fees prompting him to defer his studies,” Kiplagat argued.
On his part, the first accused pleaded with the Judge to free him on reasonable bail terms saying that he has two children who had cleared their form four studies and were due to join universities in September.
Kiplagat told Justice Wananda that in the event he is denied bond, his children were bound to suffer as there was nobody to cater for their university fees and other needs apart from him as their father. The accused have been remanded at Eldoret GK prison since their arrest in April in connection with the murder incident in which they are the prime suspects.
Witness statements
Justice Wananda directed the prosecution to supply the accused persons with copies of witness statements.
He further ordered the prosecution to avail pre-bail report in two weeks’ time when the application by the accused persons to be freed on bond will be heard.
Justice Wanada directed that mention of the case be on July 29, 2024.