Naftali Mbugua, the suspect in the Ivy Wangechi murder, has applied for a plea bargain to face a lesser charge.
Mbugua, through his lawyer Mbiu Kamau, has written to Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji seeking a plea bargain for a less serious charge, like manslaughter.
“Your Honour, I wish to inform the court that my client has requested to enter into a plea bargain with the state and has consequently written to the DPP over the same," Kamau said when the murder case came up in court on Tuesday.
The application was made before Eldoret High judge Stephen Githinji who was to set a hearing date for the murder trial.
Instead, he ordered the case to be mentioned on March 26 and the application for a plea bargain be forwarded to the state.
Kinuthia is accused of murdering Wangechi on April 9 in Eldoret town. It is alleged that he hacked Wangechi to death on a road near the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Wangechi was walking from the hospital ward to the hostels. She died on the spot after the attack that shocked the nation.
Kinuthia worked for a betting firm in Nairobi and is said to have driven to Eldoret because Wangechi did not reciprocate his affection and gestures of love.
Three months ago Kinuthia pleaded not guilty when he was charged.
A plea bargain implies that the suspect may accept the charges against him and the DPP will weigh the application before making a decision on the way forward.
The court has been told by the prosecution that Kinuthia was fit to stand trial after undergoing a psychiatric assessment.
The court rejected an application by Ivy's family, through their lawyer Violet Nyakima, for the case to be heard in Nairobi. the court said the killing happened in Eldoret and most witnesses were in the area.
The court already rejected Mbugua's bail application.
Parents for both Kinuthia and Wangechi were in court when the plea bargain application came up.
(Edited by V. Graham)
