A third suspect has been arrested in connection with the murder of athlete Agnes Tirop.
Speaking to a local daily, Keiyo North sub-County Police Commander Tom Makori confirmed the arrest but declined to reveal the identity of the suspect.
“There was an unidentified woman who was spotted at the slain athlete’s home a day before her body was discovered. Detectives have had statements from multiple witnesses including friends of the two, which have aided our investigation. Positively identifying the woman won’t be an issue,” the police boss told Nation.
The officer was, however, non-committal as to whether the third suspect was the woman.
The World’s 10,000 metres bronze medalist was found dead at her home on Rural Estate near Iten town in Elgeyo Marakwet on Wednesday. Her body had a stab wound in the neck.
Tirop’s estranged husband Ibrahim Rotich and his friend John Kipkoech Samoei are still in custody as detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) continue with the probe into the killing.
Police reports indicate that Samoei drove the athlete from a training camp to her house where she was later found dead.
Rotich was apprehended in Mombasa on Thursday. Police said that the suspect had attempted to flee the country.
“Earlier in the day at around noon, Rotich had rammed his getaway vehicle into a lorry at Athi River, along Mombasa road, as he desperately escaped out dragnet,” DCI said in a tweet.
The suspect has since been transferred to Elgeyo Marakwet County to face murder charges.
Meanwhile, the detectives are reviewing CCTV footage obtained from Tirop’s house for more clues into her final moments.
“The detectives are analysing a raft of items we have in our possession and we are making steady progress in the matter,” Makori said.
The deceased will be laid to rest at her parent’s home at Kapnyamisa village in Nandi County on Saturday.
