Suspect in athlete Agnes Tirop's killing detained for 20 days

Ibrahim Rotich (right) when he appeared before the Iten court. [Stephen Rutto, Standard]

The suspect behind the killing of athlete Agnes Tirop, Ibrahim Rotich, has been arraigned in an Iten Court and will be detained for 20 days.

Ibrahim Rotich appeared before Iten Law Courts senior principal magistrate Charles Kutwa today morning.

Kenyan athlete Agnes Tirop, who was found dead on Wednesday, October 13, 2021.

State prosecutor Judith Ayuma sought an order for the suspect to be detained for 20 days, which was granted.

Kutwa ordered that the suspect be detained at the Eldoret Police Station.

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.

Tirop, 25, 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 Wednesday last week.

Police said she had a stab wound on the neck.