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Two people among them a boda boda rider accused of killing an international runner in December last year have been charged with murder at an Eldoret High Court.

The suspects, identified as David Ekai alias Timo, 25 and Peter Khalumi, 30 appeared before Justice Robert Wananda and denied the murder charge.

The court heard they committed the offence on December 31, 2023, at Kimumu estate on the outskirts of Eldoret town in Uasin Gishu county.

The suspects are said to have killed Kenya-born Ugandan athlete Edward Kiplagat in cold blood.

Kiplagat, a 2008 World Junior and 3,000 steeplechase silver medalist was murdered along the road on his way home in Kimumu estate on the eve of New Year.  The Kenyan-born Uganda runner was found with a deep knife cut on the neck inside his brother’s car near Kimumu mixed secondary school along the Eldoret-Iten highway.

The prosecution through David Fedha told the Judge that after a mental assessment was conducted against the accused at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, they were found to be fit to face trial.

Fedha requested the court to allow the police to detain the accused at Eldoret GK remand prison for a period of 20 days so that he can get ample time to file an affidavit of opposing bail.

“We are opposed to the accused persons ‘release on bail on the ground that they have a series of past criminal records related to robbery with violence and also they have no known place of residence in

Eldoret town or its environs,” said Fedha.

But the accused, through their lawyer George Songule requested to be released on bail arguing that it is their constitutional right.

“My clients have already recorded their statements with the police and furthermore their places of residences are well known to the authorities after their arrest following the murder incident,” argued Songule.