• Raymond Kiplimo and Joseph Kairu were charged before Nakuru High Court judge Rachel Ng'etich with the murder of Caroline Jepchirchir Chesire.
• The suspects were charged after a mental test at the Nakuru Level 4 Hospital showed they were fit to stand trial.
Two prison warders on Tuesday denied abducting and killing their female colleague in Nakuru.
Raymond Kiplimo and Joseph Kairu were charged before Nakuru High Court judge Rachel Ng'etich with the murder of Caroline Jepchirchir Chesire.
The suspects were charged after a mental test at the Nakuru Level 4 Hospital showed they were fit to stand trial.
Kiplimo and Kairu were accused of killing Chesire between April 2 and 3 in Nakuru county. The two jointly murdered their colleague. Chesire was attached to the Nakuru Women GK Prison.
Defence lawyers David Mongeri and Tom Olonyi asked that their clients be released on reasonable bond terms, saying it was a constitutional right to be granted bond.
But the prosecution, led by state counsel Amos Chigiti opposed the application, saying it would pose a risk of witness interference. He urged the court to reject the application.
Chigiti asked the court to direct Kiplimo and Kairu be remanded at the Naivasha Maximum Prison and not the Nakuru GK Prison. He said police cannot guarantee the suspects security at the Nakuru prison because warders at the facility were angry with the suspects for the murder of their colleague.
"They also risk interfering with witnesses at the Nakuru prison, them being former employees at the facility," Chigiti said.
The defence team accused the prosecution of bias in filing an objection for bond request without serving them. The lawyers said they have to make a reply before the court can decide whether to grant the bond.
"The prosecution's application is in bad faith, we have been served late and we have to respond," Mongeri said.
Ng'etich said the lawyers had a right to a fair judicial process and directed they file a response within two days.
She directed the suspects be held at the Nakuru Central police station until Wednesday when their lawyers will present their fresh application for bond.
Edited by P. Obuya