The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) opposed the release on bond of a university student, Erick Mutinda Philip, who has been charged with the murder of Sylvia Kemunto Ayaye, a 20-year-old first-year student at the Multimedia University of Kenya.
Prosecuting counsel Peris Maina persuaded the court to take judicial notice of the alarming rise in femicide cases in the country, which has triggered public outrage and debate, and deny the accused person bond.
Maina urged that femicide cases had culminated in widespread protests held on 2 January 27, 2024 and December 10 2024 across 11 counties, where demonstrators called for justice and stronger measures against the killing of women.
She stated that releasing the accused on bond could endanger the community and disturb public order, peace, and security.
The court was further informed that Erick poses a flight risk, as he allegedly fled the university premises after committing the offence and contacted a prosecution witness, expressing his intention to cross the border into Tanzania.
She also noted that nine of the prosecution witnesses are students from the accused’s university, including classmates and his roommate, cautioning that there is a strong likelihood that the accused could interfere with these key witnesses if released.
Erick is accused of murdering Sylvia Kemunto on March 30, 2025 at the Multimedia University of Kenya, along Magadi Road in Karen, Lang’ata Sub-County.
The two were previously in an alleged intimate relationship, which reportedly ended in February 2025.
It is alleged that Erick visited Sylvia in her hostel room to discuss their breakup.
During this encounter, he is said to have strangled her manually, placed her body in a green suitcase, and transported it to his hostel room.
The body was later discovered in a half-filled water reservoir on the rooftop of the building where the accused resided.
A post-mortem report confirmed the cause of death as asphyxia due to ligature strangulation, as well as head injuries resulting from blunt force trauma.
The prosecution has indicated it will rely on 19 witnesses to prove its case.
Lady Justice Diana Mochache has allocated four hearing dates for the case which will I’ll be 23rd and 24th June 2025 and 21st and 22nd July 2025.
The prosecution has committed to presenting all its witnesses within that period.
The court also directed the accused, through his defence counsel, to file a replying affidavit in an application by the DPP’s objection to bond within seven days, ahead of a ruling on the bond application.
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