Elders conduct cleansing ceremony in Agnes Tirop's house

Elders from the Kaplel clan in Nandi County have today conducted a cleansing ceremony in the house where late athlete Agnes Tirop was allegedly murdered last week.

Led by Kirwa Bitok, the elders slaughtered a sheep and cleaned the house in which Tirop was found dead on the morning of Wednesday October 13, 2021.

The cultural rites happened hours after Ibrahim Rotich, the prime suspect in Tirop's murder, was arraigned in Iten Law Courts.

Mr Bitok said the cleansing ceremony paves way for any member of Tirop's family to live in the house.

"We have exorcised the bad spirits and the house in now ready for anyone to live in. As our tradition dictates, we have smeared the house with cow dung and sprinkled it with milk. We have cast a spell on all those involved in the brutal killing of our daughter," Bitok said.

25-yaer-old Agnes Tirop (pictured) was part of the triumphant Team Kenya in the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics.

The athlete, described as ‘a star in the making’, had featured in the 5,000-metre race and finished fourth.

The world-class athlete was found dead in her house in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County on last Wednesday.

Police said she had a stab wound on the neck.

Principal magistrate Charles Kutwa today morning ordered that the main suspect behind Tirop’s killing, Ibrahim Rotich, be detained for 20 days to allow for investigations.

He also directed that the suspect undergo a mental assessment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) within the 20-day period.

The case will be mentioned in court on November 9.

Rotich was arrested at a police roadblock at Chaani in Changamwe, about six kilometres from Mombasa, on Friday.

Police became suspicious after they flagged down the suspect’s car for a ‘normal inspection’ but he refused to stop.