Carpenter who immolated wife held for 10 days
Robert Kipkorir Tonui inside a police van outside Sotik law courts on October 14, 2020.
A carpenter who killed his wife -a primary school teacher- by dousing her in petrol and setting her ablaze in Bomet County will be held in police custody for 10 days before being formally charged in court.
Mr Robert Kipkorir Tonui did not take plea when he was arraigned before the Sotik Principal Magistrate Evans Muleka on Wednesday, a day after his arrest. He had been on the run for a week.
State Counsel Mercy Nyaroito applied for the suspect to be held in police custody, ahead of his arraignment in court on October 26, 2020, for plea-taking.
Ms Nyaroito said the suspect would be subjected to a psychiatric test during the period, which would also allow police time to collect more evidence.
Cheptalal Primary School deputy headteacher Emmy Chepkoech Mitey, who was set on fire by her husband.
Mr Tonui, who was not represented, did not oppose the application from the prosecution and was immediately taken back to the holding cells after the directive was given by the magistrate.
Set her ablaze
He is said to have doused his wife Ms Emmy Chepkoech Mitey, former deputy head-teacher at Cheptalal primary school in Konoin constituency, in petrol and set her ablaze at her parents’ home in Seanin village on October 3. He then disappeared into the night.
The victim was rushed to Litein AIC hospital in the neighbouring Kericho county.
She was later transferred to Tenwek hospital where she succumbed to the injuries three days later.
