This archive report was first published on 30 September 2021.
September 30, 2021, marked a significant day in the trial of Naftali Kinuthia, who is accused of killing Ivy Wangechi three years ago. The case was heard in an Eldoret court.
A witness, who chose to remain anonymous, revealed that Kinuthia had spent Sh200,000 on Ivy, which he demanded back after she turned down his romantic advances.
According to the witness, Ivy had on several occasions rejected Kinuthia's overtures, and he had even threatened to go to her mother to repay the money he had spent on her daughter.
The witness also disputed claims that Ivy and Kinuthia were lovers, stating that Kinuthia was forcing Ivy into a love relationship by enticing her with expensive gifts.
She further testified that Kinuthia had bankrolled their birthday parties in an attempt to win Ivy over, including a party in a Westlands club in 2018, where he footed a Sh14,000 bill.
After the party, Kinuthia asked Ivy to go with him to his house for the night, but she declined. The witness said Ivy blocked Kinuthia on her phone, but he started sending text messages to her, asking her to forward them to Ivy.
Text messages shown in court revealed Kinuthia's frustrations at Ivy for turning him down.
With ten witnesses, including Ivy's mother and university classmates, already testifying in court, the judge adjourned the trial to December 15.
Naftali Kinuthia, a 31-year-old software graduate student, has been in remand at the Eldoret GK Prison since his arrest in 2019.
