Athlete Agnes Tirop's murder suspect to wait longer for bail hearing

Murder suspect Ibrahim Rotich

Mr Ibrahim Rotich, the estranged husband athlete Agnes Tirop who has been accused of murdering her. He will wait longer for the hearing of his bail application.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Ms Tirop also won the World Cross Country title in 2015, during which she made history as the second youngest medallist at that level.
  • She also won the Africa Cross Country Championship in 2014 in Kampala, Uganda as well as the World Junior Cross Country Championship in 2013 in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Mr Ibrahim Rotich, the estranged husband athlete Agnes Tirop who has been accused of murdering her, was dealt a major blow on Friday after the hearing of his bail application was postponed for the second time in a row.

This means that the suspect will continue to be held at the Eldoret GK Remand Prison pending his bail application hearing.

A court in Eldoret directed on Friday that the matter be mentioned on April 27 after it emerged that Justice Reuben Nyakundi, who was scheduled to hear that the bail application, was not available.

The court heard that Justice Nyakundi had travelled to Kapsabet in Nandi County to president over other court matters.

Arrested while on the run

Mr Rotich, who was the last person to be seen with Ms Tirop, was arrested in Changamwe, Mombasa on October 15, 2021 after being trailed for two days.

Detectives suspected that he was fleeing to a neighbouring country.

The slain 25-year old international runner was found dead at her home in Iten town in October last year, with apparent stab wounds to her neck.

The discovery of her body came a day after her father, Vincent Tirop, had filed a missing persons' report with the police.

According to police, Emmanuel Ibrahim Rotich was their "prime suspect" in their murder investigations.

Tokyo Olympics

The late Tirop had, before her brutal killing, represented Kenya at the Tokyo Olympics, becoming 4th in the women's 5,000m.

She had won 10,000m bronze at each of the last two World Athletics Championships.

Her accolades include coming fourth in the 5,000m at Tokyo 2021, bronze medals at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships in the 10,000m. She also broke the women-only record in the 10km race at the Adidas Road to Records Race in Germany, with a time of 30:01.

Ms Tirop also won the World Cross Country title in 2015, during which she made history as the second youngest medallist at that level.

She also won the Africa Cross Country Championship in 2014 in Kampala, Uganda as well as the World Junior Cross Country Championship in 2013 in Bydgoszcz, Poland.