A 19-year-old man suspected of killing a first-year student, later dumping her body in a rooftop water reservoir will remain in custody for 21 days pending investigations.
Kibera Magistrate Zainab Abdul ruled that Philip Eric Mutinda, be held at Capital hill until April 28 to allow the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to complete his investigations.
The DCI through Jairus Mutua moved to court under a miscellaneous application seeking to detain Mutinda, a Multimedia University student for 21 days pending investigations into the brutal murder of Sylvia Kemunto, a first-year student whose body was discovered in a rooftop water reservoir at the university.
According to court documents, Kemunto had been reported missing on April 1 by her mother, Teresia Ayai.
Kemunto’s lifeless body was discovered on April 2 during a search conducted by the university’s security team atop Block B Hostel.
The suspect, identified as a fellow student and reportedly Kemunto’s ex-boyfriend, had been last seen entering her hostel room on March 30 and later leaving with a suitcase that appeared heavily packed.
He then vanished from the university premises without notice.
Mutinda eventually surrendered at Sultan Hamud Police Station on April 4 and was subsequently transferred to Capital Hill police station.
Police say preliminary investigations have identified him as the main suspect in the murder.
Mutua told magistrate Abdul that the suspect’s continued detention is necessary to complete key aspects of the investigation.
He said the police are yet to conduct a post-mortem on the deceased, collect DNA samples from the suspect for forensic comparison and forwarding stained clothing and other evidence to the Government Chemist.
The police also want to carry out a psychiatric evaluation of the suspect and conduct interview witnesses.
“Retracing the deceased and suspect movement pre and post the murder is ongoing and interviews of witnesses who are mostly students at Multimedia University are ongoing and therefore releasing the Respondent before conclusion of investigations, there is high likelihood that it will jeopardize investigations into the matter as they may come in contact,” read the court documents.
Mutua also alleged heightened public interest in the case amid rising cases of femicide in the country.
He said releasing the suspect at this stage could endanger his life.
“The matter has evoked immense public interest amidst heightened femicide cases in the country and the Respondents life may be in danger if he is released,” said Mutua.
Mutua further claimed that the two had reportedly been in a relationship since September 2024 but broke up in February.
It is alleged that Mutinda had been attempting to reconcile with Kemunto.
Mutinda through his lawyer Johnston Daniel Jr. however opposed the application.
Daniel Jr. alleged that the 19-year-old had cooperated with police and posed no flight risk.
The prosecution argued that the crime is serious and that releasing the suspect could interfere with evidence.
The victims through their Lawyers Danstan Omari and Shadrack Wambui on their end urged the court to take judicial notice of the rise in femicide, calling it a gender issue.
Omari added that the incident occurred within a university meant to be safe and questioned the institution’s role in student safety.
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