Moi University student stabbed to death by colleague in love triangle

Scene of crime, police officer takes samples of blood stains where Moi University town campus student Stephen Wairimu was stabbed to death by his colleague, over love affairs at Pioneer estate in Eldoret on Monday night. PHOTO: Peter Ochieng.

ELDORET: A love triangle ended tragically at Moi University after a male student stabbed and killed his rival colleague over a female lover.

A late night call by the fourth-year student, Stephen Wairimu, on the girl whose heart he was after turned tragic when he met a rival already in the room, leading to a bitter exchange.

Consequently, Stephen was stabbed several times in the abdomen and chest with a kitchen knife, and died on the way to hospital.

According to witnesses, Stephen visited the girl’s room, also a student in the institution, at 9pm. He was angered when he found another male student, with whom he traded insults, which degenerated into a fight.

According to the girl at the centre of the row, Stephen — a final-year Bachelor of Hotel and Hospitality Management student — was bitter that the male colleague was spending too much time with her yet he (deceased) was the boyfriend.

“It was then that the two began fighting. I tried to separate them but I couldn’t manage and just watched helplessly. The rival, who was overpowered by Stephen, ran into the kitchen and came back with a kitchen knife,” the girl told The Standard yesterday.

The girl was a first-year student taking the same course as Stephen. The rival boyfriend was a freshman also pursuing a degree in Hotel and Hospitality Management.

Flozine Adaka, the Moi University Students Union vice-chairperson, said the two male students had had a long-standing feud over the girl, and had earlier that night quarrelled over the matter.

“They had fought earlier that night. The rival who was initially beaten went and picked a knife which he concealed in his jacket. He warned Stephen that he would kill him before he came back and ignited the fight, but this time when he was thrown on the floor, he took out the knife and stabbed the deceased,” said Ms Adaka.

She added: “We then called a taxi to rush him to hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.”

James Keter, a security guard at the hostel, said he heard a commotion upstairs, and when he rushed to the scene, he found Stephen lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

“We called an ambulance and then ran after his assailant, who was fleeing the scene. We apprehended him about a kilometre away, near Sosiani River, and we brought him back to the hostel where the police picked him up,” said Keter.

Isaac Olando, another student at the Moi University Town Campus Pioneer hostels, said Stephen was angry that a first-year student was interfering with his relationship.

When the police finally arrived at the scene, they found worked-up students ready to lynch the suspect. They were forced to shoot in the air to disperse angry students who had milled around the security offices where the suspect was being held.

“We arrested the suspect who is in custody and is assisting us with investigations,” said Eldoret South Officer Commanding Police Division Isa Manja.

A forensic team was yesterday at the scene to collect blood samples and interview witnesses. The body was taken to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital Mortuary.

Moi University’s Deputy Vice Chancellor for Students’ Affairs Nathan Ogechi said rivalry among students was not new in learning institutions, and that a similar incident had occurred in 1997 at the main campus.

“We will rely on police findings to authoritatively comment on the incident. We try our best to offer counselling to students on relationships and academic affairs but it is the responsibility of the learners to seek these services,” said Prof Ogechi.