Detectives in Nakuru County are in hot pursuit of a suspect connected to the death of 22-year-old Eileen Cherotich.
Cherotich, a second-year Human Resources student at Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology (RVIST), was found dead near the Eveready roundabout along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway on Sunday morning.
Braided hair was found at the scene where the body of Eileen Chorotich, 22, was dumped after she was allegedly stabbed twice and thrown from a moving vehicle.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation
Cherotich was returning home from a night out in Nakuru town with three others when the incident occurred.
Nakuru West Sub-County Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Officer, Charles Kamau, confirmed that two suspects are in custody, assisting detectives with their investigation, while a third suspect remains at large.
“Currently, we have two suspects in custody and have launched an investigation into the incident. We are in pursuit of the other suspect and are working diligently to apprehend them,” Mr Kamau told Nation.Africa.
A friend of Cherotich, who spoke anonymously, recounted that Cherotich left her home in Kabasis Centre on Saturday at 1 pm to get her hair done in Nakuru town, promising to return in the evening.
When she did not return, she assumed Cherotich had stopped at another friend's house.
At 8 pm, another friend named Brenda and her boyfriend Joseph visited their place before heading to town to party.
They planned to pick up Cherotich’s boyfriend, Erick, at Ngata Bridge and later pick Cherotich in Nakuru town. Although Cherotich was not on good terms with Erick, Brenda had organised the meeting to help them reconcile.
At 2:43 am, Joseph called Cherotich’s friend asking her to open the gate and prepare to leave. He informed her that something bad had happened to her and they needed to go to town. On the way, Joseph claimed Cherotich had jumped out of the car after an argument with Erick, but did not provide further details.
“We were just the two of us in the car heading to town. I asked him why Cherotich opted to jump out of the car, but he insisted that they fought. He told me that Brenda was with Cherotich and that they were okay,” the friend recalled.
“To my surprise, Joseph instructed me to lie to the police that I was coming from town when I found a woman who had been hit by a vehicle. After a close look, I realised it was my friend Cherotich. He told me they were afraid whatever had happened would land them in jail for life.”
A vehicle in which Eileen Chorotich and three others were travelling before she died is being held at Kaptembwa police station.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation
On arriving at the scene, Joseph showed her where Cherotich was lying and drove past to hide the car, instructing her to walk towards Brenda and Cherotich. She found Brenda, who was drunk and confused, holding Cherotich, along with two onlookers.
“I was shocked. There was blood everywhere. My friend was no more. Brenda was drunk and confused, just holding her. I started screaming, but was told there was no need to scream and to report the matter at the Kaptembwa Police Station," she said.
At the station, she told the officers what Joseph had coached her to say. Joseph had hidden his vehicle and turned off his phone, while Brenda was missing when she returned. The officers moved Cherotich’s body to Nakuru City Mortuary.
Cherotich had been dating Erick, a butchery attendant at Kabasis Centre for a year and five months, frequently experiencing conflicts.
The incident caused an uproar among students, who blocked the Nakuru-Eldoret highway on Sunday.
Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology (RVIST) student president Shadrack Lang'at flanked by other student leaders during an interview with the media on July 15, 2024.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation
RVIST students’ President Shadrak Langat urged detectives to expedite the investigation and apprehend all suspects, describing Cherotich as a hardworking and humble student. According to him, Cherotich’s body had stab wounds on the stomach and head.
