Suspect in Tirop murder applies for plea bargaining
Ibrahim Rotich accused of the murder of his wife, an international athlete Agnes Tirop before Justice Reuben Nyakundi on Wednesday June 29.He has applied for plea bargaining , the case will be mentioned on September 22
The prime suspect in the murder of international athlete Agnes Tirop has applied for plea bargaining as he seeks lesser charges after pleading guilty to the offence.
Ibrahim Rotich, through his lawyer Ngigi Mbugua, said he was ready for the process when he appeared in the High court in Eldoret.
State counsel Mark Mogun confirmed the application before Justice Reuben Nyakundi.
Mr Mogun explained that the state was not opposed to the application, saying it was within the law and all parties, including the family of the deceased woman, must be brought on board in order to reach consensus.
The state confirmed that the two were legally married and the murder emanated from domestic violence.
"We have a marriage certificate with us ascertaining that the two were legally married in 2016. The application by the accused to enter into plea bargaining has been filed with us. We are going to serve the lawyer representing the family of Ms Tirop," Mr Mogun said.
The family’s lawyer Richard Warigi did not object to the application but pleaded with the court to give them more time to discuss the issue.
"We have heard the application by the defence and we are not against it but we need time to discuss it and report back to court about the position of the family on the application," said Mr Warigi
Justice Nyakundi directed all parties to scrutinise the application so as to enable the court to give appropriate direction on how to prosecute the case.
“Since the accused has applied for plea bargaining, this matter cannot proceed today. The outcome of the application will determine the direction of this case …," Justice Nyakundi said.
Mr Rotich denied the murder charge on November 16, 2021.
The charge sheet stated that Mr Rotich killed Tirop on October 12, 2021 at Rural estate in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
He went into hiding after the incident and was arrested in Mombasa two days after the body of Tirop was discovered in her house.
Police said he was trying to flee Kenya.
Though the parents of Tirop had vehemently refused to acknowledge the marriage between the two, it has emerged that the couple were legally married in 2016.
Court documents confirmed that they were married in Mosoriot in Nandi County. The marriage certificate has been deposited in court.
Tirop launched her athletics career less than a decade ago but swiftly ran up a host of second-place finishes in national and international cross country races.
She became one of Kenya’s rising stars — as the 2015 world cross country champion, a two-time 10,000m world medallist, and a fourth finish in 5000m at the Tokyo Olympics.
Tirop’s shock murder came barely a month after she broke the world women-only record in the 10km race in September 2021.
