An Eldoret court has mandated that the two individuals suspected of the murder of Kenyan-born Ugandan runner Benjamin Kiplagat should undergo a mental assessment before entering a plea for the alleged crime.
Deputy High Court Registrar Rosemary Onkoba issued the directive, instructing the suspects, 25-year-old David Ekai, also known as Timo, and 30-year-old Peter Khalumi, to be taken to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) for a mental evaluation to determine their fitness for trial.
Onkoba further ruled that the two accused be remanded at Eldoret GK Remand Prison until their scheduled appearance before the duty Judge on January 31, 2024. It is during this court session that they are expected to face charges of murder.
The suspects were apprehended in connection with the brutal killing of the Ugandan Olympic athlete, whose lifeless body was discovered with fatal stab wounds in his car at Kimumu estate along the Eldoret-Iten highway in Uasin Gishu County on December 31, 2024.
At the crime scene, law enforcement recovered a knife believed to have been the weapon used in the murder of the 34-year-old athlete. Police suggested that the motive behind the incident appeared to be robbery, as the suspects allegedly stole money and a cell phone from the deceased during the tragic event.
