This archive report was first published on 6 December 2019.
Justice Jairus Ngaah has delayed the plea of a Kenya Defence Force (KDF) soldier accused of killing his estranged wife and their two children, citing the need for a second mental assessment.
The soldier, Major Peter Mugure, is accused of murdering his wife Joyce Syombua, 10-year-old daughter Shanice Maua, and 5-year-old son Prince Michael in October 2019.
According to Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecution Peter Mailanyi, the prosecution needs two weeks to allow the accused to undergo a second mental test at the Nyeri Referral Hospital.
Mailanyi told the court that the Nanyuki psychiatrist who was initially scheduled to conduct the test had declined to sign the medical report, citing the need to speak to a relative of the accused person.
The court heard that the prosecution had initially planned to try the case in Nanyuki but had to change the venue due to concerns over the safety of the accused and the prosecution witnesses.
On October 27, 2019, Major Mugure led police to the cemetery where the bodies of his wife and children were found in a shallow grave.
Published on December 6, 2019, at 11:59 PM.
