Naftali Kinuthia, the key suspect in the killing of Moi University medical student Ivy Wangeci three years ago, has a case to answer, the court has ruled.
Justice Stephen Githinji, who delivered the ruling virtually on Tuesday, December 6, while sitting at the High Court of Malindi, directed that Kinuthia be placed on his defence in March 2023.
The judge, who has presided over the matter since its inception, said that the decision had been reached after considering the prosecution case and the testimonies of several witnesses.
“I have concluded that the accused has a case to answer. He is accordingly placed on his defence,” ruled the judge.
Kinuthia’s advocate Wokabi Mathenge told the court that the defence team had no witnesses and would only take one day to complete its case.
Kinuthia and Wangeci got into an intimate relationship and that while he was working in Nairobi, he would visit the deceased at university and sometimes supported her financially.
In this year, an investigating told the court, “Kinuthia said that he catered for the deceased’s birthday parties and on the fateful day, he had traveled to Eldoret to attend her birthday party scheduled for April 10, 2019.
Kinuthia had also recorded in his statement that prior to the birthday party, his ‘girlfriend’ had informed him that the party would cost Sh28,000.
“He said that he had sent Wangeci Sh14,000 and had the remaining amount which he wanted to give to her once he arrived. He drove to Eldoret aboard a Honda vehicle registration KCB 836 P,” stated the detective.
A day before the birthday party on Kinuthia arrived on Eldoret, a 300 kilometer journey and drove straight to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
He called Wangeci but she did not answer the call then decided to wait for her between the MTRH and the student’s hostel.
The court heard, while waiting he saw the deceased in the company of another man. He imagined that she did not pick up the call because she was sleeping with the man.
The officer recalled, “Kinuthia became very annoyed and went to his car which he had parked at the hospital’s emergency section and picked an axe that he used to attack the deceased,”
After the bizarre murder, Kinuthia was attacked by members of public
The investigator told the court that Kinuthia had signed his statement and his advocate was present during the recording of the statement.
