This archive report was first published on 22 December 2019.
Major Peter Mugure, the soldier accused of killing his estranged wife and two children, has had his plea taking deferred for the third time.
The High Court in Nyeri deferred the plea taking to January 10, 2020, to give the prosecution time to have the assessment report ready.
Major Mugure, 36, is accused of murdering his 31-year-old estranged wife Joyce Syombua and their two children, Shanice Maua and Prince Michael, aged 10 and 5 respectively.
Their bodies were found stacked in a gunny bag and buried in a shallow grave at a Makaburini public cemetery on the outskirts of Nanyuki Town on November 16, 2019, after the suspect led the police to the site.
According to Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecution, Peter Mailanyi, the accused was examined on December 18, 2019, at the Nyeri Referral Hospital, but the psychiatrist declined to release the report until he interviews a member of his family.
Major Mugure's Counsel, Cliff Ombeta, said they had contacted his mother, but she was not available for the doctor's interview.
Justice Jairus Ngaah ruled that the court had no alternative but to defer the matter to a new date.
