Police allowed to detain man suspected of wife’s murder

High school teacher Gloria Jepleting Sangutei, 27, who was found murdered along the Eldoret-Nakuru highway. The High Court in Eldoret on August 7, 2019 allowed police to detain for seven days her estranged husband, Isaiah Samoei Kipchirichir, who is suspected to have killed her, as they complete investigations. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • The two wedded in a colourful church ceremony on December 22, 2017.
  • They started quarrelling a few months after their wedding.
  • According to Ms Sangutei’s relatives, the man arrived from the US last week.

A man suspected of murdering his wife following domestic squabbles will be remanded for seven days to enable police complete investigations.

Isaiah Samoei Kipchirichir, 29, a US-based athlete with no world record, is accused of strangling and hitting Gloria Jepleting Sangutei, 27, with a blunt object.

The victim was a teacher at Ngeria Girls High School in Uasin Gishu County.

The two wedded in a colourful church ceremony on December 22, 2017.

QUARRELS

According to the dead woman’s relatives, the two started quarrelling a few months after their wedding.

“My sister has never enjoyed peace since she was married to this man two years ago,” said Brian Sangutei, the woman’s brother.

Mr Kipchirchir, a graduate from New Mexico University, had separated with Ms Sangutei and relocated to the US before the incident which has perplexed relatives from both sides.

According to Ms Sangutei’s relatives, the man arrived from the US last week.

CAME FROM US

“He travelled from US two weeks ago. It appears he has been trailing our sister with a mission to eliminate her after she moved out of their matrimonial home due to consistent abuse,” said Mr Sangutei.

Police collected Ms Sangutei’s body along the Eldoret-Nakuru highway three days ago.

The suspect was flushed out of his hideout in Eldoret town by officers from Langas Police Station.

DETAIN SUSPECT

When he was arraigned on Wednesday, investigating Officer Sofia Ibrahim, in a sworn affidavit, requested the court to allow her detain the suspect for seven days pending investigations.

She told Eldoret High Court Deputy Registrar Grace Sitati that, among other things, the suspect is yet to record a statement and an official post-mortem report is yet to be released to the police.

The court directed the suspect to be detained at Langas Police Station for seven days.

The case will be mentioned on August 13, 2019.