By Winstone Chiseremi
Suspected Serial killer Evans Juma Wanjala, the self-confessed serial killer believed to be behind the abduction, defilement and murder of five minors from Moi’s Bridge in Uasin Gishu between 2019 and 2021, was today arraigned before Kapenguria High Court where he denied the murder charges.
Wanjala, 33, appeared before Justice Justus Bwonwong’a and pleaded not guilty to three separate murder charges leveled against him by a committee that was formed by the Office of Director of Public Prosecution.
The accused was accused of kidnapping and killing three minors, namely Linda Cherono Kinyua 13, Stacy Achieng’ Nabiso10, and Mary Elusa 14.
According to the particulars of the charge presented in court, Wanjala is said to have murdered Linda Cherono Kinyua on diverse dates between 11 and 15 June 2021 in Moi’s Bridge town.
He was also charged with the murder of Stacy Achieng’ Nabiso on the night of December 31, 2019 and January 1, 2020 in Soweto estate within Moi’s Bridge town in Uasin Gishu County.
Wanjala was further charged of murdering Mary Elusa between December 15 and 16, 2020 in Tuyabei village in Moi’s Bridge.
Justice Bwonwong’a ordered the accused to remanded in custody at Eldoret police station until September 9 when his bail application will be considered.
During the mention of the case before Eldoret’s Deputy Registrar Rosemary Onkoba on Tuesday, the prosecution told the court that a mental assessment performed on the accused at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret in July 21, indicated that he was in his right state of mind and thus fit to stand trial.
In the three separate murder cases, the High Court has appointed three pro bono advocates Michael Masinde, Moses Kipchumba and Millicent Wesonga to represent Wanjala.
On Friday, Detectives drawn from the homicide and forensic department exhumed the body of Grace Njeri who is believed to be one of the victims of the Moi’s Bridge murders in order to conduct postmortem and DNA tests that will help in further investigations into the death of the minor.
The minor’s remains was exhumed at her grandparent’s home in Karara-Nyakinyua in Mois Bridge following a court order.
Njeri, 12, was reported to have disappeared on May 21, 2020 and her mutilated, decomposed body parts were found on June 18, 2020, about a month later at Soronoi farm.
According to the DCI, the recovered body parts which were already decomposed were not subjected to postmortem or DNA tests.
Wanjala is said to have defiled and killed another minor Lucy Wanjiru, 15, who went missing in January 2020 and her body was found in a thicket in Tuiyabei, next to a cattle dip.
He was captured on CCTV footage leading his latest victim Linda leading his arrest and stay in custody since June 16.
Wanjala had on July 14, led a team of experts including the DCI, Homicide and forensic officers to document the various scenes within Mois Bridge where he confessed to have killed and dumped the bodies of his five victims.