Man who killed his neighbour has a case to answer

The High Court has indicted a man accused of killing his 30-year-old neighbour.

Justice Janet Mulwa stated that the 10 witnesses called by the prosecution established a prima facie case to warrant Bernard Rono to be placed on his defence on the murder of Ann Cherotich on July 13, 2015 at Barut in Nakuru.

“The accused filed and highlighted very detail submission to persuade this court that no prima facie case has been established and urged for acquaintance, submitting that the investigation agencies failed to establish the identity of the perpetrator,” said the judge.

Rono informed the court that he will give an unsworn testimony with no witnesses.

The judge noted the testimony of Cherotich’s child, who identified Rono as the person who went into their house on that night and pulled Cherotich out of bed. “I was asleep, the accused came... and told us he wanted to kill our mother,” said the minor.

The nine year old further told the court that the accused pulled her mother outside, where she managed to follow them, she saw Rono stabbed her mother with their knife which he had picked and ran away leaving her mother crying for help.

The minor further screamed which attracted neighbours and her grandfather who came and rushed Ms Cherotich to the hospital where she was pronounced death.  

 “I was able to identify Bernard because he of the light from his phone, and also he had come to our home before so I know him,” minor told the court.

Her testimony was supported by the father of the deceased Kiptomes Arap Jomno who told the court that the he heard her grandchildren calling for help only to find her daughter lying down in a pool of blood shouting “Bernard has killed me’ she had cuts on her hand and chest.

Jomno added that when responding to the call he saw the accused pass by him and disappeared, but due to the moonlight he was able to fully identify him.

The court further ruled that the accused bear the stated name by the deceased before she succumbed to the knife injuries.

“Upon analysing of the entire prosecution evidence, I am satisfied that the accused is placed at the scene of the crime, it’s upon him to defend himself,” ruled the court.

The case is coming up for defence hearing on July 25.