ELDORET, Kenya – Eldoret High Court Judge Justice Robert Wananda has directed three Investigating Officers (IOs) from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to expedite the execution of an arrest warrant against Ibrahim Rotich, the prime suspect in the murder of athlete Agnes Tirop.
Rotich, who is accused of the gruesome killing, has reportedly gone into hiding, frustrating efforts to bring him to justice.
The three officers — Corporals Johnston Sanga, Philip Ndedo, and Police Sergeant Julius Koima — have been ordered to take immediate action to apprehend Rotich, who was controversially released on bail despite facing charges for a capital offence.
Justice Wananda expressed his shock upon learning that Rotich had secured his own release by depositing the bail money directly with the court, bypassing the usual process of providing surety.
The judge also criticized the lack of urgency by the DCI officers, noting that the suspect’s disappearance could be attributed to laxity on their part.
“You must bring him to court, whether he is dead or alive,” the judge stated.
Rotich’s release on bond came after spending two years in Eldoret GK remand prison.
As part of his bail conditions, he was prohibited from leaving Uasin Gishu County, the court’s jurisdiction, and was further barred from entering Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County — the site of Tirop’s tragic murder.
Additionally, he was instructed to stay away from the victim’s family and refrain from contacting any prosecution witnesses.
However, it emerged that Rotich had violated these conditions, leading to the court’s intervention.
Officer Commanding Eldoret Central Police Station (OCS) James Lenaso also revealed that since his appointment on April 1, 2024, he had not recorded Rotich’s attendance, further raising concerns about the handling of the case.
In a bid to resolve the matter, one of the Investigating Officers from Nairobi, Johnston Sanga, requested a month to execute the court’s order and apprehend the fugitive.
Justice Wananda set a hearing date for June 12, 2025, in the hope that by then, Rotich would have been arrested and brought before the court.
The case has drawn significant public attention, given the high-profile nature of Tirop’s murder.
The athlete, a rising star in Kenyan athletics, was found dead in her home in Iten in October 2021.
Her untimely death sparked national outrage and calls for swift justice.
