In courts: Hearing begins for Eric Mutinda in Sylvia Kemunto murder case

In courts/FILE

The hearing of the murder case against university student Eric Mutinda begins today at the High Court in Kibera, Nairobi.

Mutinda is facing charges of killing fellow student Sylvia Kemunto in March at the Multimedia University, where they were both students.

Kemunto's body was found in a water tank at the top of a hostel within the institution after she had gone missing for days.

An autopsy revealed that she was strangled. She also sustained head injuries caused by a blunt object.

Mutinda was arrested after he surrendered to authorities in Mtito Andei in Makueni County and was charged with murder.

He has since pleaded guilty.

The suspect remains remanded at the Nairobi Remand Prison after the court declined his application to be released on bond.

Trial judge Justice Diana Kavedza is expected to issue directions on how the matter will proceed.

In the same court, Justice Kavedza will also give directions in a case where Robert Bodo and Chris Obure were charged with the murder of car dealer Kelvin Omwenga in 2020.

Omwenga was shot in his bedroom with a firearm belonging to Obure.

At the time of the shooting, the victim was in the company of his brother Wycliffe Omwenga, Bodo and two other men and a woman, according to police reports.

The case has been going on with a mention set for today.

Elsewhere at the Milimani law court, the hearing of the case against Brian Mwenda, the man facing charges of being a fake lawyer, proceeds for hearing today before Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina.

At the next court before Chief Magistrate Susan Shitubi, the case against social media influencer Francis Gaitho is also set for mention.

Gaitho was charged with inciting Gen Z to protest in 2024, with the state citing misuse of the cybercrime and computer laws.