Murder suspects acquitted over lack of evidence

By PATRICK KIBET

Nakuru Court of Appeal has acquitted two men sentenced to death for the murder of two police officers at the height of post-election violence.

Robert Kipkemoi Ngetich and Kirkland Kipngeno Langat had been sentenced to hang in 2009 by Justice Mary Ang’awa in the Kericho High Court over the death of two police officers. The two appellants had been charged that on December 31, 2007 they murdered PC Peter Githinji and APC David Odhiambo at Roret trading centre in Buret, Kericho County.

It was alleged that the two police officers died as they were escorting Paul Wachira from Kisii to Kericho to pick his family after the disputed election caused skirmishes in the area.

In a judgement Justice David Maraga, Appellate Judges Martha Koome, Erastus Githinji and Alnashir Vishram faulted the judgment by Ang’awa and noted that she failed to evaluate the evidence in totality.