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Eric Maigo murder: Suspect Ann Adhiambo changes plea from guilty to not guilty
The Kibera woman accused of killing Eric Maigo, the finance director of Nairobi Hospital, has pleaded guilty to murder. The suspect, Ann Adhiambo Auma, pleaded guilty despite being warned three times by Justice Kanyi Kimondo about the possible sentence from a guilty plea.
The Kibera woman accused of killing Eric Maigo, the finance director of Nairobi Hospital, has changed her plea from guilty to not guilty.
Ms Anne Adhiambo Auma alias Nut, the prime suspect in the gruesome murder of Maigo, who police said had 25 stab wounds, abandoned her 'guilty' plea when she appeared before Justice Diana Kavedza on Thursday.
Ms Auma stunned all parties in the case when she admitted before Justice Kanyi Kimondo on October 26, 2023 that she killed Maigo at his Woodley Estate residence in Nairobi on September 23, 2023.
Her admission to the capital offence surprised defence lawyer Samuel Ayora, who asked for more time to consult with her.
Judge Kimondo also expressed concern over her plea and asked her three times if she was admitting the charge, to which she replied in the affirmative. However, he gave her time to reconsider her position.
When the suspect appeared in court on Thursday, her lawyer asked the court to re-read the charges to the accused.
"I have discussed with my client (Anne Adhiambo Auma) and she has understood the consequences of her earlier response to the charge," Mr Ayora told the court.
"Ms Auma, you are charged with the murder of Eric Maigo on September 15, 2023 at his residence at Woodley Estate in Nairobi County, what is your plea?" asked Judge Kavedza.
"Not guilty," Ms Auma replied.
The prosecution, led by Mr Allan Mulama, told the court that investigations had been completed and a trial date could be set.
Read: 'No evidence': Suspect in the murder of Eric Maigo released without charge
Mr Mulama said the accused was an adult and not a minor as claimed earlier when she first appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Gilbert Shikwe.
"The accused is an adult and of sound mind, she has been found fit to stand trial," Mr Mulama told the court.
The prosecutor said the suspect would be remanded at Lang'ata Women's Prison. He urged the court to deny the accused bail on the grounds that she is a flight risk.
"Immediately after the incident, the accused went into hiding and the police had to use CCTV footage to identify her," Mr Mulama said.
Before her first appearance in the High Court, Ms Auma was detained for 26 days by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
She was arrested at Olympic in Kibra.
The case will continue on December 14,2023, when the judge will rule on the accused's bail application.
