The mother of slain Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology (RVIST) lecturer Irene Jepchumba broke down in court yesterday narrating her last moments with her daughter before her brutal death. 

Jepchumba’s body was retrieved from Molo River, a few metres from Choka Falls in Rongai Sub-County on July 6, 2018 with the main suspect Godfrey Kangogo charged with the murder. 

Kangogo, who was with the lecturer on the fateful day, claimed she slipped and fell to her death while denying any involvement in the death. However, postmortem revealed the don was strangled. 

Yesterday, Monica Toroitich took the stand before High Court judge Justice Joel Ngugi recounting the events still etched in her memory. 

In a brief testimony in court yesterday, Toroitich, a lecturer at Egerton University, said her daughter was murdered just weeks after securing a slot at RVIST as a lecturer. 

Before her demise, Toroitich recalls Jepchumba used to accompany her to field assessment adding that she was jovial and a happy soul. 

“I worked with her in field assessment and on July 6, 2018, she informed me that she would not be available as she had been recently employed by RVIST and wanted to familiarise herself with the institution which I saw was the right thing,” said Toroitich. 

On the fateful day, July 6, 2018, Toroitich informed the court they all woke up and left for various duties and were to meet in the evening.

However, she noted that she was not in a position to keep in touch with her daughter during the day due to field work and went back home and relaxed.