The High Court in Nakuru on Wednesday directed mental assessment to be conducted on two prison warders accused of abducting and brutally murdering their colleague.
Justice Janet Mulwa ordered Raymond Kiplimo and Joseph Kairu be taken for psychiatric examination at the Nakuru Level 5 Hospital before they can take plea.
"The court hereby orders that the accused persons be taken for a mental assessment at the Nakuru Level 5 Hospital pending plea. They shall be remanded at Nakuru Central police station," Mulwa said.
The suspects were initially being held at the Nakuru GK prison where they work.
Their lawyers David Mongeri and Tom Olonyi objected to the detention at the prison, saying inmates at the facility knew the suspects and could turn against them in the cell.
The prosecution through Eunice Rotich urged the court to remand the suspects at the Naivasha Maximum prison.
“The two being former employees at the facility they are likely to tamper with the witnesses,” Rotich said
She said the suspects were at risk from either the inmates whom they handled in the past or warders who might have wanted to seek retribution for the murder of their colleague.
"We cannot guarantee their security from the wardens who would want to seek revenge or inmates they have handled," Rotich said.
Kiplimo and Kairu were arraigned but did not respond to the charges of killing Caroline Jepchirchir Chesire. Chesire was attached to the Nakuru Women GK prison.
The suspects are accused of jointly killing Caroline on 3 in Nakuru. She went missing on April 3 after a night out with Kairu and Kiplimo at one of the entertainment joints in the town.
On April 10, her body was found dumped in a thicket at Githioro village in Subukia, Nakuru county, with bruises indicating she was tortured before being killed.
