Trial in Venezuelan diplomat's murder case hits snag again

Nairobi, Kenya: The trial of a Venezuelan diplomat charged with the murder of their acting ambassador in Kenya has failed to proceed for the second time.

The trial court was informed that the hearing of the murder trial cannot proceed because the state counsel prosecuting the matter was held up elsewhere.

The first time it failed to proceed before Justice Rosalyn Korir, the counsel for one of the accused stepped down.
Korir then directed the state to find a lawyer for Moses Kiprotich, a guard who worked at the embassy, after his lawyer stepped aside.

Yesterday, the judge set the hearing date of the murder trial for July 16.

Lawyer representing Kiprotich, Evans Ondieki pulled out after he was appointed a Minister at the County Government of Nairobi.

Ondieki told the court that he would not be able to continue to represent his client considering the amount of responsibility he is tasked county.

The Diplomat Dwight Sagaray and his co-accused Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed  are charged that on the night of July 26 and 27 at the residence of the Venezuelan Embassy in Runda Estate, they murdered the ambassador Olga Fonseca.

The envoy was found strangled to death at her official residence in Nairobi on 27 July.

Three security guards who were also charged in connection with the murder of the Venezuelan Ambassador were released on bail.

Eliud Kimutai, Bernard Owino and Kiprotich were released on Sh 1 million bond with a similar surety and ordered to report to Criminal Investigating Department once every two weeks.

The trio who are security guards with Securex were also charged with failing to use any reasonable means to stop the murder.