Four individuals—Dennis Kiptoo, Elvis Kiptanui, Abiud Barkutwa, and Cornelius Keter—have been arraigned in Eldoret over the murder of Samwel Mugiro, whose body was found in River Kipkaren. High Court Deputy Registrar Carolyne Watima ordered a mental assessment for the suspects at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) before formal charges are filed.
The prosecution alleges Mugiro was murdered in Kipkaren estate, Kapseret subcounty, Uasin Gishu. The court deferred a bond request, stating it lacked jurisdiction at this stage. The suspects will return to court on June 4, 2025, for plea taking.
Mugiro’s body was recovered after he went missing during protests in the area. A postmortem conducted at MTRH revealed multiple injuries consistent with torture and assault, though the official cause of death was drowning. Pathologists concluded he was alive, though injured, when thrown into the river. Independent experts agreed that third-party involvement was evident, citing signs of struggle and defensive wounds.
