ELDORET, Kenya — The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has asked the High Court to allow the murder trial of slain athlete Agnes Tirop to proceed in the absence of the prime suspect, Ibrahim Rotich, who has been missing since February.
Prosecutors Lucas Tanui and Clea Mureithi told Justice Robert Wananda that despite months of investigations, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has not been able to trace Rotich, who vanished while out on a Sh500,000 cash bail.
“Since there has been no progress in efforts to bring back the suspect, we are seeking time to file an application to proceed with the case in his absence,” Tanui said.
The prosecution maintains that the law allows the trial to continue even without the suspect in custody.
Tirop’s family lawyer, Richard Warigi, supported the application, saying the case had stalled long enough.
Justice Wananda gave the ODPP 14 days to file a formal application, after which the court will issue further directions. The case will be mentioned on October 15.
The judge also extended the warrant of arrest against Rotich, who disappeared in February despite strict bail conditions requiring him to remain within Uasin Gishu County and report weekly to DCI Eldoret offices.
His lawyer, Ngigi Mbugua, has also stopped attending court, and the judge ordered that he be served with the ODPP’s application.
The case has now been adjourned six times because of the suspect’s absence. Justice Wananda has previously reprimanded the DCI for failing to re-arrest Rotich, saying their slow response had frustrated the pursuit of justice. The bond posted by the accused has already been forfeited to the state.
A DCI officer told the court they believe Rotich is still hiding in Kenya and that homicide detectives are closing in on his location.
Tirop, a 25-year-old long-distance runner and world record holder, was found dead in her home in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County, on October 13, 2021.
A postmortem revealed she had been stabbed in the neck and struck on the head with a blunt object.
Her parents, Vincent and Dinah Tirop, who have attended all court sessions, were present on Thursday as the DPP sought new directions to prevent further delays in the case.
