Suspects in athlete's murder to remain in custody for 21 days

Murder suspects David Ekai Lokere and Peter Oshuru Khalumi at the Eldoret Law Courts. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

Eldoret Law Courts has allowed police to detain two suspects in the murder of Kenyan-born Ugandan athlete Edward Benjamin Kiplagat for 21 days to complete investigations.

Principal Magistrate Cherono Kesse allowed an application by the investigating officer Inyasio Mwaniki to continue detaining the suspects David Ekhai Lokere alias Timo, 30, and Peter Ushuru Khalumi, 25 at the Eldoret Central Police Station. 

The magistrate said she had considered the application filed by the investigating officer and the opposition to the application raised by the suspect’s lawyer, George Sonkule. 

Mwaniki, a DCI officer attached to Moiben, said the body of the long-distance athlete was found lying in a pool of blood with stab wounds in Kimumu, Moiben sub-county, Uasin Gishu county.

He said the suspects were arrested on January 1, in Langas, Eldoret, and Kitale, Trans Nzoia county.

Mwaniki asked the court for more time to complete investigations, noting that they are yet to conduct a postmortem of the deceased to ascertain the cause of death. 

He said the recovered exhibits including a dagger knife believed to be the murder weapon are yet to be taken to Government chemists for analysis. 

“CCTV footage from the scene of crime is also yet to be taken to the cyber-crime unit for analysis and production of a report. The mobile call data of the deceased is set to be retrieved along with registration numbers of a vehicle and motorcycle found at the scene,” he said.

The DCI officer who gave a sworn testimony further told the court that crucial evidence from witnesses is yet to be recorded and vital information from the Ugandan embassy on the deceased's status prior to his death is yet to be established.

He opposed the release on bond of the suspects, citing an unknown place aboard and that they were a flight risk. 

Lawyer Sonkule representing the suspects dismissed the application to detain them, saying they have a right to freedom.

He said that the release of the two would not hinder the investigations. 

The lawyer claimed that his client’s money had been withdrawn from their M-Pesa accounts after they were forced to give out their PINs. 

The Magistrate exercised her discretion to detain suspects, noting that the general welfare of the public was disturbed by the athlete’s death.

“It is in the interest of justice that I allow the application by the prosecution to hold the suspects in custody for 21 days to enable completion of investigations,” she said. 

The case will be mentioned on January 24.