BY WINSTONE MUSISI
Police in Iten are investigating the grisly murder of a Kenyan runner suspected to have been killed by her estranged Ethiopian athlete two days ago at an estate in the outskirts of Iten town, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
The decomposing body of the slain upcoming runner who police identified as 24-year-old Damaris Muthee Mutua was discovered by neighbours today Tuesday April 19 following a foul smell that was emanating from their one bedroomed house at Lilies estate.
She is suspected to have been killed by the Ethiopian athlete identified as Koki Fai who reportedly fled from the country after the allegedly committing the heinous criminal act.
County Police Commander Patrick Lumumba who confirmed the incident said the body of slain runner who is a Kenyan but running for a foreign nation has been removed from the scene of the incident and taken to iten county referral morgue for preservation.
“We have launched investigation into the matter to establish the circumstance under which the athlete met her death two days ago in her house she was sharing with the Ethiopian runner who went underground,” said Lumumba.
He said the police are yet to confirm whether the Ethiopian runner who is a prime suspect in the killing of the female athlete has fled the country or is still roaming around.
According to Lumumba fellow athletes and neighbours alerted the police after the alleged killer called from his hide-out saying he had committed the murder.
Police who arrived at the scene sealed off the compound of the house and are currently investigating the circumstances around the killing.
This comes a few months after another Kenya’s women’s only world record holder in 10km road race Agnes Tirop was killed in most foul manner by her estranged husband in Iten town in October 13,2021.
Ibrahim Rotich, the prime suspect in her murder was arrested by the police in Mombasa as he was trying to flee to the neighboring country in his efforts to evade justice over the death of record breaking long distance runner.
He is being held at Eldoret GK remand prison awaiting the murder trial in connection with the killing of the slain World 10,000 metres bronze medalist
The slain 25-year-old long-distance runner was part of Team Kenya for the Tokyo Olympics where she finished just outside the medals bracket in fourth place behind winner Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, Kenya’s Hellen Obiri and Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay.
Tirop set the new world record in 10km road race after clocking 30:01 during the Adizero Road to Records event in Herzogenaurach, Germany on September 12 this year.