The wife of slain athlete Samson Kandie and two other suspects have denied murder charges at High Court in Eldoret. The three are the retired athlete’s wife Rose Chepkemboi, Jamlick Kiptoon and Vincent Ng’ososei.
Chepkemboi is a clinical officer in Baringo county. The suspects denied the offense when they appeared before Justice Reuben Nyakundi who read out the charges.
It is alleged that the three with others not before court, murdered Kandie at Elgon View estate in Eldoret on October 3, 2024.
The judge asked the three if they were aware why they had been taken to court, but they claimed police had not told them.
“You are here in court because you are accused of causing the death of Samson Kandie on October 3, 2024 at Elgon View estate,” Nyakundi said.
Chepkemboi said the accusation was not true same as the other suspects. The prosecution in the case is led by state counsels David Fedha, Mark Mugun and Sidi Kirege.
Lawyer Elijah Momanyi representing Chepkemboi, immediately applied to have her released on bail pending hearing of the case.
“They have the right to bail but there are strict guidelines and procedures which they must comply with before being admitted to bail,” Justice Nyakundi said.
Nyakundi said a probation report must be tabled before court as part of the pre-conditions for considering the application for bail.
He directed the prosecution to serve the defense with relevant documents and that the matter be mentioned on December 2 for a pre-trial conference.
The court was packed with relatives of both the accused and the deceased. Fedha said they were ready to proceed with hearing of the case with several witnesses lined up to testify against the accused.
“Let it go on record that we have served the defense with necessary documents and are ready to proceed with the matter,” he said.
The 53-year-old athlete, celebrated for his victories in the 2002 Sapporo and 2004 Vienna marathons, was found murdered at his home Elgon View estate.
He was found severely beaten and police said his hands and legs had been tied up.
On the fateful day, he had called the family late in the evening saying he was on his way home but he never arrived.
Family members later found him behind a toilet within his compound and was taken to hospital where he was declared dead.
A team of DCI officers later arrested the suspects within the region.
His death came amid concern over
rising cases of controversial death
of prominent runners in the region.
