Shocking details have emerged that a two-year-old girl whose skeletal remains were unearthed from a shallow grave in Rongai a year and a half ago may have been killed a year earlier.
The skeletons of Linda Chepkorir, the daughter of former athlete Paul Koech Kiprop, were discovered on March 15, 2023, in a shallow grave at her family homestead in Rongai, Nakuru County.
Government Pathologist Titus Ngulungu, in his testimony before Justice Samuel Mohochi on Monday, told the court that the autopsy conducted on the body revealed that the remains which consisted of skinned skeletons were between six months to a year old.
Dr Ngulungu said he conducted a post-mortem on March 16, 2023, after the exhumation of the body at Kabarak in Rongai sub-County following a request by officers from Menengai Police Station.
The body was covered with a blanket and wrapped in a bed sheet stained with blood. It was identified by two people identified as Diana Chepchumba (her mother) and John Mutai.
Upon examination at the scene, the pathologists noted that the body was in a state of gradual decomposition and could not be fully assessed due to the absence of some organs.
“The remains consisted of skeletal bones, peeled skin with patches of bones, partially skeletonised skull, missing or fallen lower limbs and other internal organs missing or liquified. The skeleton had an interval of between six months to one year,” said Dr Ngulungu.
“As a result of my examination, I formed the opinion that the cause of death was injury on head trauma and right and blunt trauma to the head,” stated Dr Ngulungu.
He testified that he took some pieces of bones, blankets and sheets for DNA matching.
Kiprop was arrested on March 14, 2023, and is said to have confessed to police of having killed and buried his daughter in a shallow grave. He also led the officers to the site of the grave.
Kiprop was later charged with the murder of his daughter Linda Chepkorir, with the date of murder put on July 23, 2022, at AIC Kabarnet Farm.
According to court records, the child was in the custody of the athlete who had picked her up from her mother on March 2, 2022, after he insisted on spending time with her.
The mother Diana Chepchumba was supposed to collect her after three days but the father begged her to allow the child to spend more time with her.
The man, however, kept dodging the mother and postponing the dates until November 11 when he switched off his mobile phone.
The mother reported the case of a missing child to Menengai Police Station where the accused was summoned to avail the child on January 1 this year but failed.
On January 9 Mr Kiprop in the company of his father allegedly requested the children officers for more time to enable them to trace the woman who he claimed had taken the child.
Ms Chepchumba was later informed by the police on March 15 of the accused being arrested and her daughter's body was exhumed at Kiprop's compound.
