Wife among four to face trial in Narok doctor’s murder

Four people have been arraigned at the Kapsabet High Court and charged with the murder of a medical doctor on the eve of Easter.

The four suspects including the victim’s wife appeared before Justice Joseph Karanja for plea taking on Wednesday.

The wife was charged alongside Philip Kimutai Kemboi, a tutor at O’Lessos Training Institute, Richard Kiprotich Murwo and Jonah Kiprop.

They all denied murdering Dr Caleb Kipkemboi Tanui on the night of March 31, 2023.

The charge sheet indicates that the suspects jointly murdered the medic  at Ngony’ek village, Segut sublocation, Chepterit Location of Chesumei subcounty in Nandi County.

It was the second time the four were being arraigned. They appeared before the same court on Monday, June 18, but were not required to take plea.

The State has lined up 18 witnesses to prove their case against the suspects who have been in custody since their arrest three weeks ago after one of the suspects went public over the murder.

Angry residents barricaded and lit bonfires on the busy Kapsabet-Eldoret highway protesting the doctor’s murder after one of the suspects confessed to the killing and named his accomplices who were immediately arrested by DCI detectives.

The deceased was until his death a consultant surgeon at the Narok County Referral Hospital.

He was reported ‘missing’ by his wife on May 3, 2023 after a ‘domestic brawl’ at their home.

One of the suspects appeared after 40 days following the deceased’s burial and confessed that he was one of those hired to ferry the corpse and dispose it along King’wal swamp, one kilometer away from the victim’s house.

He claimed he was paid Sh3000 as token for helping remove the body from scene of crime, the deceased’s house, and load it into a vehicle that transported it to the swamp.

Tanui’s decomposing body was discovered in a trench full of water a week later by a herder and later retrieved by police.

Justice Karanja said the hearing of the case will start November 15, 2023.

He directed that the suspects be released on a Sh500,000 bond each.   BY THE STAR