The prime suspect in the murder of 25-year old Agnes Tirop, Ibrahim Rotich, denied the murder charges against him.
Rotich pleaded not guilty before Justice Reuben Nyakundi of the Eldoret High Court after a mental assessment report from the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital indicated that he was fit to stand trial.
Rotich is accused of killing Tirop in the afternoon of October 12 at Rural estate in Iten Township, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Photo: Courtesy
Justice Nyakundi directed the defence to file an affidavit responding to the prosecution’s application to deny the accused bond in the next 14 days.
“Since the prosecution has gone ahead and filed and served an affidavit opposing awarding of bail or bond, I direct that the defence makes a rejoinder on the affidavit rather than filing an application for release on bond,” Justice Nyakundi said.
Tirop’s family led by her father Vincent Tirop was present in court during the plea-taking hearing.
The judge further directed that the 41-year old be remanded at Eldoret GK prison until the ruling on his release on bond is made.
The hearing and determination of his release has been set for December 1.
The 25-year old athlete was discovered dead on October 13 after her father filed a missing person report the previous day.
An autopsy report indicated that she suffered neck stabs and was hit on the head with a blunt object.
She was buried at her parent’s home in Nandi on October 23 when she would be turning a year older.
Her husband Rotich was arrested while in Changamwe, Mombasa as he planned to flee to a neighboring country to evade justice.
CCTV footage placed Rotich at the scene of the crime, according to the Keiyo North sub county DCIO Andolo Munga.
“The CCTV footage is self-explanatory and positive after forensic analysis. It has all the evidence of the scene and the actual act. We believe we have an airtight case and we are good to go with the prosecution,” Munga said in an interview with Daily Nation.
RELATED STORY:Agnes Tirop Murder: CCTV Footage Prove That She Was Brutally Murdered By Her Husband
