NAIROBI, Kenya – The trial for the brutal murder of Kenyan long-distance runner Agnes Tirop has been postponed for the fourth time after the prime suspect, Ibrahim Rotich, failed to appear in court.
Eldoret High Court Judge Robert Wananda, who was set to commence the hearing on Monday morning, expressed frustration over the delay and directed officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to expedite efforts to produce Rotich in court.
However, the DCI team requested an additional two weeks to locate the accused, prompting fresh concerns about the pace of justice in the high-profile case.
Rotich was released on a Ksh.500,000 cash bail in 2022 after a successful second bond application. His lawyer, Ngigi Mbugua, had argued that Rotich was not a flight risk.
That assessment is now under scrutiny as authorities continue to search for him.
Rotich is accused of killing Tirop on October 12, 2021, at their residence in the rural town of Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
The athlete, a world record holder and rising star in Kenya’s athletics scene, was found dead with stab wounds, triggering national and international outrage.
Justice Wananda emphasized that the court was ready to proceed but would now wait until the DCI provides a clear update on Rotich’s whereabouts.
