Two suspects linked to the murder of Kenyan-born Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat on New Year’s Eve will undergo a mental assessment before facing charges, as directed by a court in Eldoret, Kenya.
Uasin Gishu County’s Senior Officer in charge of Public Prosecution, David Anthony Fedha, presented Peter Ushuru Khalumi and David Ekai Lokero before Senior Resident Magistrate Rosemary Onkoba on Wednesday. Mr. Fedha applied for the suspects to be taken to the hospital for mental assessment before pleading to charges of murder.
“We have completed investigations into the matter and are ready to charge the suspects with murder. However, we are asking the court to issue an order for the suspects to undergo mental assessment,” stated Mr. Fedha in court.
Magistrate Onkoba directed the prosecution and defense lawyer George Sonkule to coordinate in ensuring that the suspects undergo a mental assessment. The court set the mention of the matter for January 31 to confirm the suspects’ mental fitness for trial.
Since the suspects have a pro bono lawyer, Magistrate Onkoba ordered the lawyer and the prosecution to collaborate in ensuring the suspects are taken to the hospital for mental assessment. The court also instructed that the suspects be remanded at Eldoret GK Prison pending the mental assessment.
The charge sheet indicates that the suspects jointly murdered the athlete on the night of December 31, 2023, at Kimumu estate on the outskirts of Eldoret town within Moiben Sub County. The suspects, identified as wanted criminals, were arrested on January 1 after police launched investigations into the incident.
The deceased, a long-distance runner specializing in the 3000m steeplechase, had represented Uganda at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016 and participated in various international competitions. He was laid to rest on January 11 at his home in Kamendi village, Trans Nzoia County.
