Court issues arrest warrant against suspect in Agnes Tirop's murder

Hibrahim Rotich (right), prime suspect in the murder of long-distance athlete Agnes Tirop at the Eldoret High Court, on November 15, 2023. [File, Standrd]

The High Court in Eldoret has issued a warrant of arrest against Ibrahim Rotich, the prime suspect in the brutal murder of long-distance athlete Agnes Tirop after he failed for the second time to appear in court.

Justice Robert Wananda said that by absconding court twice, Rotich had failed to honor the court’s condition that was set during his release on bond.

The Judge ordered the Eldoret Police Station officer commanding station (OCS) to appear in court on April 8, 2025 to provide records showing whether Rotich complied with the bond term conditions that required him to report weekly at the police station.

“I order that a warrant of arrest be issued against the accused person and the hearing date be maintained to be June 8, 2025. This court also issues summons to the OCS Eldoret police station whom the accused person was to report to weekly,” orderd Justice Wananda.

Rotich’s lawyer Ngigi Mbugua had three weeks ago during a session in which the judge had allocated the entire day for the hearing of the case, informed the court that he did not know his client's whereabouts.

He said that he was unable to trace his client on phone or physically and that he had received information that Rotich had moved from his known place of abode in Kesses, Uasin Gishu County.

The lawyer told court that a report of a missing person has been filed at Eldoret Police Station.

Rotich, 45, was released on Sh400,000 with two sureties of similar amount and an alternative Sh500,000 cash bail after filing a second application for release on bond two years ago. He had spent two years in custody before the court finally granted him bail.

Lawyer Mbugua had during the bond application argued that Rotich was not a flight risk and would not jump bail.

The prosecution led by state counsel Leonard Okaka while calling for the arrest warrant also requested for the surrender of the cash bail to the state.

“The dates for hearing were known to the defense council but there is no clear information on the whereabouts of the suspect”, said Okaka.

Richard Warigi, the lawyer representing late Tirop’s family, said a letter had earlier been written to DCI on conditions of bond for the suspect and that Rotich was required to appear at Eldoret Police Station every Monday.

“We ask that the OCS Eldoret police station appears to give details on adherence to the conditions of bond issued to the accused person,” said Warigi.

Rotich first failed to appear before court for the hearing of the murder case on February 27, 2025

So far 10 witnesses have testified in the case and 14 more were to give their testimony

Under the court’s bail conditions issued in 2023, Rotich was barred from leaving his home county of Uasin Gishu or setting foot at Iten where the murder took place and where majority of the witnesses reside.

 Justice Wananda had noted that the circumstances including the suspect being a flight risk and a hostile ground had changed. He however warned that the court would cancel his bond if he absconded or failed to adhere to the other bond terms.

 Rotich denied charges of killing his estranged wife in October 2021.

Tirop who met her tragic death aged 25 was a star athlete, a double bronze medallist in the 10,000 m world championships and a record holder in the women’s 10 km road race at the Adizero Road to Record event held in Herzogenaurach, Germany.

She also participated in the Tokyo summer Olympics held in 2021, featuring in the 5,000 –metre race in which she finished fourth.

 Months later, she was found dead at her house in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County on October 13, 2021 with stab wounds on her neck.

Family members led by Tirop’s father Vincent Tirop who were in court expressed concern that the disappearance of Rotich would deny them justice.

 “All we want is justice for our slain daughter and assurance of our safety now that the suspect is missing”, said Bor.