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Ivy’s murder: Jammed courtroom as suspect Naftali Kinuthia appears


Dressed in a blue pair of jeans, a black jacket and sandals, Mr Naftali Kinuthia buried his face in his hands as he appeared in public for the first time after he allegedly hacked to death Ms Ivy Wangechi last Tuesday.

Struggling to avoid dozens of cameras following him, Mr Kinuthia appeared before the Eldoret High Court on Monday minutes after 9am to face charges following the death of the sixth-year student at Moi University School of Medicine.

He will be detained for 14 more days at Naiberi police station in Eldoret.

Handcuffed, he was accompanied by three armed police officers.

Judges at the Eldoret High Court are on recess and Mr Kinuthia had to wait for Senior Resident magistrate Nicodemus Moseti, sitting for the court’s deputy registrar said to be away on official duty.

APPEARED COMPOSED

Despite his injuries, Mr Kinuthia appeared composed in the parked courtroom, occasionally speaking to his lawyer as the session progressed.

Hundreds of people eager to see him thronged the courtroom.

The session lasted 15 minutes as the prosecution made its request for more time to detain him, which the defence did not oppose.

Mr Kinuthia is represented by Nairobi lawyer Mbiyu Kamau, assisted by Ms Rachael Mbebe.

Mr Kinuthia had visible injuries on his head and hands. Multiple stitches were also visible on his head.

After hacking Ms Wangeci, who had just left Moi Teaching and Referral Hospitals’s Nyayo ward and was heading to the university’s hostel, he was attacked by the public but was rescued by police officers before things got out of hand.

ADMITTED

He was admitted to the hospital’s High Dependency Unit for four days before being discharged on Friday evening.

Mr Mbiyu told the court that the suspect had not recorded any statement since he was discharged from MTRH.

The defence counsel further noted that no P3 form had been filled while exhibits that included an axe and knife had been taken to the government chemist for forensic analysis.

Mr Kamau also requested that his client undergoes a medical assessment to ascertain whether he has the right mental capacity to stand trial as well as further treatment for the injuries he suffered last week.

Mr Moseti directed that Mr Kinuthia be taken to MTRH for treatment on two dates, April 18 and April 23. The case will be mentioned on April 30.