Court defers plea taking for woman accused of stabbing boyfriend 27 times

Salome Wanjiru when she appeared before the High Court in Thika, on January 16, 2025. [Gitau Wanyoike, Standard] 

The High Court in Thika has deferred the plea-taking for Salome Wanjiru, accused of stabbing her boyfriend 27 times.

Wanjiru is accused of stabbing Conrad Nyabuto, whose body was found in his rented room in Gatong'ora, Ruiru, on December 17, 2024.

On Thursday, she was arraigned before Senior Resident Magistrate Fredrick Koome with bandages on her hand.

Wanjiru’s lawyer Geoffrey Omenke, prayed for re-admission to hospital after she allegedly suffered constant pain while in custody.

“The accused has consistently complained of severe pain while in custody. I have medical treatment notes that specify her condition and recommend that she remains on a slab for two to four weeks. We have submitted these medical documents as evidence," Omenke said.

But prosecuting Counsel Christine Torome opposed the application arguing that doctors had not indicated the need for her hospitalisation in the documents availed in court.

Torome told the court that the suspect was duly treated by a qualified doctor and discharged, and there was no recommendation for admission.

“Your honour there is no medical record existing indicating that the accused person is in danger and therefore needs to be given time to be out of danger,” she told the court.

The court heard that a mental assessment conducted on the accused found that she was fit to take a plea.

"I urge the court not to abide by the defence’s prayers for the hospitalization of Wanjiru. It's sensational and only meant to delay the progress of the matter from the onset,” Torome said.

Koome found that the discharge summary dated January 14, 2025 when the accused was escorted to the hospital did not indicate the need for readmission.

"If the accused required admission, the doctors would have noted it on January 14, 2025," he ruled.

"However, I will issue an order for the accused to be escorted to the hospital for a review this week. Since the honourable judge is indisposed, the matter is deferred for plea-taking on January 20. In the meantime, the suspect shall remain remanded at Ruiru Police Station," he ruled.

Conrad, the third-born in a family of five, met his tragic death, allegedly, at the hands of an estranged girlfriend.

A postmortem revealed that he died due to excessive bleeding after being stabbed 27 times.

He was laid to rest on December 27, 2024, in a sombre ceremony in Kigoro village, Kisii, where some family members and friends recounted his final days.

During the burial, a family member disclosed that the 27-year-old was determined to end the relationship in the days leading to his brutal death.