Suspected serial killer Evans Juma Wanjala, charged with the murder of three teenagers near Eldoret, has been denied bail by the High Court.
Justice Eric Ogalla on February 3 declined to grant Wanjala bail, saying the accused is likely to interfere with witnesses and compromise the case.
He also said the life of the accused may be in danger, therefore pre-trial detention is necessary to protect him.
Further, he is a flight risk, the court said.
Ogalla said the events leading to the arrest of the accused are in the public domain. The cases have led to a public outcry and releasing the accused on bond will undermine public peace and security.
"This court is satisfied the applicant’s entitlement to bond can be interfered with on the strength of the overwhelming reasons given by the prosecution. For these reasons, the application for bond/bail is denied and the accused shall be tried while in remand," the judge ruled.
Last year, Wanjala was charged with killing Staicy Achieng in Soy, Uasin Gishu, between December 31, 2017, and January 1,2020.
He is also accused of killing Linda Cherono in Moi’s Bridge between June 11 and 15 last year, and Mary Eruza at Tuiyabei in Soy, between December 15 and 16 last year.
He allegedly has been linked to similar cases, bringing the total to five victims.
Police reports said he would lure his victims to different locations in the town and defile them before strangling them, the court heard.
The prosecution said if the accused is convicted of murder, he may be sentenced to death, giving him incentive to abscond.
The court was told Wanjala has been charged with a similar offence in Eldoret. In all cases, the victims were minors aged between 10 and 14 years. All bore signs of deflement and torture characteristic of a serial offender, the court was told.
The accused made an out-of-court confession and led the investigators to all the scenes of crime where he admitted to having defiled and killed his victims.
Justice Ogola heard Wanjala also has a pending warrant of arrest from the chief magistrate’s court at Makindu where he was charged with sexual offences.
Another warrant of arrest is pending from the chief magistrate's court in Kajiado where he was also charged with sexual offences.
(Edited by V. Graham)
