Court adjourns Agnes Tirop murder case after suspect Ibrahim Rotich disappears
His lawyer, Ngigi Mbugua, stunned the court by revealing that his client had switched off both of his mobile phones and had relocated from his known residence.
The murder trial of Ibrahim Rotich, the estranged husband of the late long-distance runner and former world record holder Agnes Tirop, faced a setback on Thursday after he failed to appear in court, raising concerns about the status of his bond.
The court was informed that Rotich was nowhere to be found when the case came up for hearing, forcing an adjournment. His lawyer, Ngigi Mbugua, stunned the court by revealing that his client had switched off both of his mobile phones and had relocated from his known residence.
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"I have tried to reach my client on his two mobile phones without any success. I am also informed that he has relocated from his known residence and nobody knows where he has gone," Mbugua told the court.
When asked by the presiding judge, Justice Robert Wananda, about who Rotich had been staying with, Mbugua said his client lived alone.
Despite Justice Wananda allocating the entire day for the case, the 45-year-old accused did not show up.
Rotich had been granted a Sh400,000 bond with two similar sureties or a cash bail of Sh500,000 two years ago after a second bond application. His lawyer had successfully argued that Rotich was not a flight risk, despite the prosecution’s persistent opposition to his release on bail.
Rotich, the prime suspect in the murder of his estranged wife, denied the charges before the High Court.
According to the prosecution, he allegedly killed Tirop on October 12, 2021, at a rural estate in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County. The international athlete was found dead in her home with stab wounds, just days after returning from Germany, where she had broken the women’s 10-kilometre world record with a time of 30:01.
Tirop had previously won bronze medals in the 10,000-metre race at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships.
Domestic conflict
Investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations linked Rotich to the murder, citing previous domestic conflicts between the couple.
Justice Wananda emphasised that the trial could not proceed without the accused’s presence.
"I hope the accused person is safe wherever he is so that he does not endanger his safety," the judge said.
The case is scheduled for mention on March 18, when the court expects a report on Rotich’s whereabouts.
The hearing will proceed on June 12.
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