Judge Denies Medical Student’s Murder Suspect Bail, Again

 BY WINSTONE MUSISI

Naftali Kinuthia, the prime suspect in the gruesome murder of his girl friend in April 2019 was dealt a major blow in his third attempt to be released on bail after the High Court in Eldoret declined his request to protect the integrity of the trial.

Justice Stephen Githinji, while declining to grant the suspect bail raised a raft of reasons, key among them, being that some of the prosecution witnesses were close friends to the accused and the deceased, Ivy Wangeci who was a final year medical student at Moi University’s school of medicine.

The judge, who has been transferred to Malindi, explained that the murder case facing Kinuthia has attracted public attention and that releasing him on bail will seriously endanger his life arguing that his safety while out on bond will not be guaranteed.

According to Justice Githinji, the reasons that had been raised by the prosecution and Wangeci family’s lawyers were compelling enough to warrant denial of bail or bond.

“In any case the reasons I gave in the previous rulings on his bail application have not changed and it will not be advisable to grant the accused bond for his own safety,” ruled Justice Githinji.

The suspect has been in Eldoret GK remand prison since he was arrested on April 9, 2019, in connection with the murder of Moi University medical student.

He was accused of planning and executing the killing of the medical student which shocked the country on April 9, outside the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret and subsequently charged on April 30 with the student’s murder.

Kinuthia allegedly hacked Wangeci twice on the head with the axe and efforts by boda boda riders who were near the scene to save the student failed as he threatened them with the weapon.

He was later attacked by an angry mob and beaten up before police officers who were on patrol came to his rescue and took him to the hospital for treatment.

The deceased was in her final stages of completing her studies and had just finished her ward rounds at MTRH when Kinuthia allegedly accosted her a few metres outside the facility’s gate.

Kinuthia’s father, George Kinuthia had informed the court through a probation report that his son was not a fly risk as he could hire police officers to provide security and even an additional car to escort him whenever he was needed in court.

The Judge directed that the case will proceed for hearing on September 28 when witnesses will be lined up to give their evidence in chief against the accused person.