Agnes Tirop murder trial postponed again as court gives DCI two weeks to trace prime suspect

The murder trial of athlete Agnes Tirop has for the fourth time been postponed after the prime suspect, Ibrahim Rotich, failed to appear before the Eldoret High Court.

Rotich, who is out on Sh500,000 cash bail, could not be traced by detectives, prompting the court to grant the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) two more weeks to locate and present him.

Justice Robert Wananda, who was scheduled to commence the trial on Wednesday, directed the DCI to expedite the process of producing Rotich in court, noting the need to bring the matter to a close. The judge reluctantly allowed the two-week extension following a formal request by the investigating team.

Rotich, the estranged husband of the late athlete, is accused of killing her on October 12, 2021, at their residence in a rural estate in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County. His arrest came shortly after Tirop’s lifeless body was found with stab wounds, in what police suspected to be a domestic dispute turned deadly.

Despite the gravity of the case, Rotich was released in 2022 on a cash bail of Sh500,000 after a successful second bond application. His lawyer, Ngigi Mbugua, argued that he was not a flight risk. The court also offered an alternative option of a Sh400,000 bond with two sureties of a similar amount.

However, Rotich’s repeated failure to appear in court has raised concerns about the decision to grant him bail and cast doubt on the capacity of law enforcement to enforce court orders.

In April this year, Eldoret Central OCS Chief Inspector James Lenaso told the court that the accused had never reported to the station as required by his bail conditions.

“I have never seen the accused person. I do not know him, as he has never reported to me at any given time,” Lenaso said, adding that he had been posted to the station in August 2023 and was not aware that Rotich was required to report there every Monday.

The OCS further revealed that he only received instructions to arrest Rotich on April 1, despite a warrant having been issued on March 18. The delay, Justice Wananda noted, pointed to negligence on the part of the officers handling the matter.

“The delay witnessed here is a result of laxity by the officers concerned. This court orders the DCI to take up the matter and arrest the accused person, who is out on bond and has absconded from court,” Justice Wananda ruled.

“I grant more time to the DCI to enforce the warrant of arrest.”

The delays have frustrated Tirop’s family, fellow athletes and the public, who have voiced concerns over the prolonged wait for justice. The athlete’s murder sent shockwaves across the nation and drew international attention, particularly because of her rising status in global athletics.

Tirop, a two-time World Championships bronze medalist in the 10,000 metres, had just returned from Germany days before her death, where she broke the women’s 10-kilometre world record with a time of 30:01.

The prosecution has maintained that Rotich is the prime suspect in the case and continues to push for the trial to proceed. He has, however, pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.

The case will be mentioned again in two weeks.

Other Topics To Read

• National
• dead kenyan athletes
• Agnes Tirop
• kenyan athlete dies
• kenyan athlete kelvin kiptum
• Agnes Tirop murder trial
• Agnes Tirop murder trial postponed again as court gives DCI two weeks to trace prime suspect
• Headlines