A suspect turned state witness in the murder of former Kakamega district commissioner’s wife on Tuesday told an Eldoret Court that he was hired for Sh.1,500 by the prime suspect to drive the deceased’s stolen vehicle from Eldoret to Nandi County.
The mechanic, Laban Cheruiyot, who testified before Chief Magistrate (CM), Charles Obulutsa said he was contacted by the accused, Bonface Kiptoo requesting him to drive the vehicle belonging to the Former DC, Paul Yatich’s wife to Kabiyet Township.
The witness, who accompanied judicial officials to the scene of murder identified the yard where the vehicle was parked at the homestead of the deceased, Loice Yatich in Kiplombe area in the outskirts of Eldoret town.
The accused who was employed by the deceased as a herds boy is linked to the brutal murder of the former curriculum development officer with the Teachers service commission.
Kiptoo has however, denied that on the night of October 13th and 14th with others not before the court while armed with crude weapons robbed Loice of her property and later murdered her.
He also faces another charge of robbery with violence and handling stolen property worth more than Sh. 700,000 belonging to the deceased.
The prosecution witness said Kiptoo, whom he was introduced to by a friend, agreed to pay him Sh 1, 500 to drive the car, a Toyota KAU 610K that was loaded with the stolen goods, including a table, a mattress, a blanket, a gas cylinder, and a TV set, from Eldoret to Kabiyet in Nandi County.
The accused was also found in possession of an Equity Bank ATM card, Boresha Sacco ATM card and a driving license belonging to the deceased.
The deceased who was living alone after separating with her husband is suspected to have been raped before being hacked to death and her body dumped in one of the bedrooms.
However Kiptoo told the court the witness was not genuine in his testimony since he could not even tell the court how they met in the homestead of the deceased.
The case will come up for mention on May 21st.
By Kiptanui Cherono
