Eldoret — Two suspects were arraigned in an Eldoret court Monday in connection with the murder of the athlete, Edward Kiplangat, also known as Benjamin.
The two, identified as David Ekhai Lokere also known as Timo, aged 25, and Peter Ushuru Khalumi, aged 30, were presented before Principal Magistrate Kesse Cherono.
The Magistrate granted the police a 21-day detention to complete investigations.
DCI officer Inyasio Mwaniki, attached to Moiben sub-county in Uasin Gishu, informed the court that the investigation into the athlete's murder was still ongoing. He recounted the discovery of the deceased's body, which exhibited stab wounds, leading to the subsequent arrests of the two suspects on January 1, 2024, in Eldoret and Kitale.
Mwaniki outlined several pending tasks, including the yet-to-be-conducted postmortem examination on the deceased and the analysis of critical evidence collected from the suspects, which awaits examination at government laboratories.
He said the cybercrime unit was still in the process of scrutinizing CCTV footage from the crime scene. He said detectives were also yet to retrieve and analyse mobile phone records, vehicle registration numbers, and statements from witnesses who were present at the scene.
Mwaniki expressed concerns regarding the unknown residence of the suspects, highlighting the potential risk of flight if they were to be released.
He emphasized that essential information from the Ugandan embassy pertaining to the deceased's circumstances prior to his demise had yet to be established.
Lawyer George Sonkule, representing the accused, asserted that the suspects are entitled to their freedom as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights in the Constitution. Sonkule pointed out that the investigations officer had not specified the charges that the accused might face. Consequently, he urged the court to consider releasing them on bail.
Sonkule further alleged that the suspects had faced assault during their apprehension, and their mobile phones had been confiscated. He also claimed that monetary withdrawals had been made from the Mpesa accounts of the accused after they were compelled to divulge their PIN numbers.
The two were apprehended on Sunday as prime suspects linked to the athlete's murder. The Moiben sub-county police commander, Stephen Okal, confirmed that one of the suspects worked as a boda boda rider in the region. A bloodstained knife, suspected to have been used in the stabbing, was recovered from the suspects.
Kiplangat, a long-distance runner renowned for his expertise in the 3,000m steeplechase, had represented Uganda, where he held the national record in the event. The motive behind the tragic incident appears to be of a criminal nature, with a mobile phone and money stolen from the athlete. His lifeless body bore a deep knife wound on the neck and was discovered inside a vehicle near Kimumu Secondary School along the Eldoret-Iten Road. An abandoned motorcycle was also found adjacent to the vehicle, and additional cash and a mobile phone were missing from the deceased's possessions.
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Officials from Athletics Kenya (AK), led by Barnabas Korir, expressed their heartfelt condolences over the loss of the athlete who previously competed on the international stage, including the Shanghai Samsung Diamond League, Lausanne Athletissima in Switzerland, Paris Meeting Areva, and Hengelo Fanny Blankers-Koen Games in the Netherlands. His journey in athletics began with the 10,000 meters but later transitioned to the 1,500m, 5,000m, and eventually the steeplechase under the guidance of his coach.
