High Court Allows Murder Case of Agnes Tirop to Proceed in Absence of Missing Prime Suspect
Justice Wananda extended the warrant of arrest against the missing suspect and scheduled the next mention of the case for March 26, 2026.
Family lawyer Warigi addresses the media outside the Eldoret High Court as he is flanked by Agnes Tirop’s father Vincent Tirop, mother Dinah Tirop following court proceedings in the murder case. Photo | Kemuma Achieng
The High Court in Eldoret has granted an application allowing the murder case of slain athlete Agnes Tirop to proceed in the absence of the prime suspect, Ibrahim Rotich, who has been missing since he was released on bail.
Justice Robert Wananda allowed the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to take steps toward continuing the trial despite Rotich’s prolonged absence, noting that the suspect has been untraceable since early this year.
“I note that the suspect has been missing since early this year and no progress has been made in tracing him,” Justice Wananda said. “The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions may file a formal application so that the court can give further directions.”
The application was made by prosecutors Lucas Tanui and Clea Mureithi, who told the court that investigators from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) were still actively searching for Rotich.
“Since there has been no progress in efforts to bring back the suspect, we are seeking time to file an application to proceed with the case in his absence,” Tanui told the court. “The hearing can continue even as efforts to arrest the suspect go on.”
The prosecution argued that the law permits criminal proceedings to continue even when an accused person absconds, particularly where repeated adjournments would prejudice the interests of justice. The case has already been postponed five times after DCI officers failed to trace Rotich.
Lawyer Warigi, representing the family of the deceased, supported the move to proceed with the trial, saying the family had endured prolonged delays.
Justice Wananda extended the warrant of arrest against the missing suspect and scheduled the next mention of the case for March 26, 2026.
The court was informed that the prosecution intends to rely on 28 witnesses, 11 of whom have already testified before the trial stalled due to the suspect’s disappearance.
Outside the courtroom, Agnes Tirop’s father, Vincent Tirop, made an emotional appeal to the judiciary to fast-track the case and ensure justice for his daughter.
“We feel forgotten by the government,” he said. “My daughter brought honour and fame to this country, but today we are left alone seeking justice. We urge the court to hasten this case so that our family can find closure.”
Tirop’s mother, Dinah Tirop, and other family members have consistently attended all hearings and were present in court as the prosecution sought permission to proceed with the case in Rotich’s absence.
Rotich had earlier been released on a Sh400,000 bond with two similar sureties or an alternative cash bail of Sh500,000 before he went missing.
According to the prosecution, Rotich allegedly murdered Tirop on October 12, 2021, at her home in a rural estate in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County. The internationally celebrated athlete was found dead with multiple stab wounds, just days after returning from Germany, where she had broken the women’s 10-kilometre world record with a time of 30:01.
Tirop was one of Kenya’s most decorated long-distance runners, having won bronze medals in the 10,000-metre race at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships. Her killing shocked the nation and the global athletics fraternity, with renewed calls for justice as the trial continues amid delays caused by the disappearance of the prime suspect.
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