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Ex-Gor Mahia midfielder Collins Okoth detained on suspicion of 3-year-old girl's rape and murder

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By Joseph Ndunda | 29 Apr 2024

The ex-Gor Mahia and Harambee Stars midfielder was arrested after the deceased kid, who lived with the mother and friend in the same apartment, was discovered dumped, half-naked and with bruises from suspected sex assault.

Former Gor Mahia midfielder Collins Okoth, alias Gatusso, is in detention for connection with the murder of a three-year-old girl found dead outside her mother’s house in Lucky Summer Estate in Starehe Sub County, Nairobi.

Okoth is in custody at the Pangani police station, where the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is detaining him pending investigations into murder.

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Lucky Summer assistant chief Peris Muthoni reported the murder to the Lucky Summer police station via OB17/22/04/2024, informing the police of a suspected murder after the dumped child was discovered.

Police arrived at the scene, found the child half naked with bruises on her neck, and suspected sexual assault. Police suspect she was thrown there dead.

The minor was found half-naked and dead behind the apartment where she lived with her mother in a house on the ground floor.

The child’s mother had left the house at 1am on Sunday 21 April and returned at 4am, only to find her missing. Also missing was a friend she lives with.

According to Police Constable Gilbert Kiprotich of the Starehe DCI offices, Okoth lives on the first floor of the same building, and police arrested him because he became restless after a weapon believed to have broken into the child's mother's house was recovered.

Investigators suspect the footballer threw the object through his window. On April 23, 2024, the Pangani police station booked him under Occurrence Book (OB) number 132/23/04/2024.

“The respondent (Okoth) packed some of his belongings in the house and was prepared to vacate the house. On April 22, 2024, at around 6am, Okoth left his house while carrying some of the clothes with nylon paper, and he came back hours later preparing to vacate the house,” the affidavit reads in part.

Kiprotich made the averments before Senior Principal Magistrate Gregory Mutiso while seeking permission to detain Okoth for 21 days pending investigations into an offence of murder, which is contrary to Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code.

The detective said he is investigating the involvement of other suspects in the murder, and he needs time to record the statements of prosecution witnesses, gather mobile data records of suspects, and retrieve CCTV footage at the scene for forensic analysis.

Okoth will be escorted to the government chemist for DNA analysis, and later to Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital for a mental assessment.

According Kiprotich, Okoth poses a flight risk because he was fleeing just before his arrest.

But the former Harambee Stars and Gor Mahia player did not object to the application to have him detained for 21 days when he appeared before Mutiso on Thursday last week. The matter will be mentioned on June 3, 2024.