Police officer in court over murder of student

A police constable was on Wednesday arraigned in an Eldoret court for allegedly fatally shooting a 22-year-old college student in Trans Nzoia County.

David Omondi risks cancellation of his Sh 1million bond by the High Court for allegedly threatening and interfering with key witnesses in his murder case.

Justice Reuben Nyakundi directed the accused person to forthwith refrain from interfering or issuing death threats to witnesses the prosecution has lined up to testify against him during the trial.

“This is the first warning I am giving to you that I will not hesitate to cancel your bond if you go against the court’s order to refrain from interfering with witnesses set to give their evidence against you in the murder case. You will blame yourself in case you fail to reform,” Nyakundi warned.

The judge issued the warning after it was revealed that Omondi was spotted visiting the scene of the tragic incident, where he is alleged to have issued death threats against some of the key witnesses in the case.

This was after the witnesses through the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (ipoa) petitioned the court to review the accused person’s bond terms, fearing for their lives, and witnesses lined up against him. 

According to IPOA, the accused person has been meddling with the state witnesses with the aim of scaring them from coming to court to give their evidence against him.

IPOA has urged the court to take stern action against the accused person for flouting the terms of the bond that was granted to him, including not accessing the scene of the crime and interference of witnesses.

Omondi was charged with shooting to death Dolphine Mwangi, who, before her demise, was a student at Kitale National Polytechnic.

He committed the said criminal offence on October 21, 2025, at Naree shopping centre in Kiminini sub-county, Trans Nzoia County.

Omondi, who denied the murder charge, was attached to the Quick Response Team under Trans Nzoia County Police Commander.

The officer is said to have used a Ceska pistol loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition to end the life of the slain student at the shopping centre on the fateful night.

According to a police statement, the accused person arrived at the trading centre on a motorcycle while armed, where he met a group of youths, among them the slain student.

He is said to have asked the youths why they were still loitering at the centre at odd hours, but they instead kept quiet.

When he noticed they were not responding, the officer fired two rounds in the air, forcing the youths to scamper for safety in different directions.

The statement further continued that the officer fired a third bullet, which hit the deceased on the head, fatally injuring her.

After the incident, the officer dragged her body and dumped it along the Kitale-Kapenguria highway before driving on the same motorcycle back to the police station.

Hearing is set for February 4, 2026.