Court orders mental evaluation of suspect in Machakos University student's killing

Chrispine Odhiambo Omondi, the main suspect behind the murder of first-year Machakos University student Harriet Moraa, was on Wednesday arraigned at the Machakos High Court but failed to take plea.

Omondi was presented before Justice Francis Olel to take plea but the judge ordered that he first be mentally evaluated at the Machakos Level V Hospital.

Justice Olel additionally assigned a pro-bono advocate to represent the suspect.

The suspect, who is currently remanded at Machakos GK Prisons, is scheduled to re-appear in court for plea taking on February 14, 2024.

Omondi, who is also a student at the aforesaid institution, was arrested on January 10 in connection to the murder of his girlfriend, Moraa.

According to police reports, Moraa visited Omondi on the morning of January 8, 2024 at Katoloni estate within Machakos township.

Later that night, Omondi went to meet his friend, John Ouma, telling him that he had found his girlfriend dead in his house.

Ouma said he suspected something was amiss after Omondi reached out, prompting him to report the matter to Machakos Police Station. Police later discovered Moraa's body on January 9 after acting on Ouma's tip.

The building’s caretaker said the suspect rented the house last year, and identified himself as a fifth-year Engineering student at the Machakos University, where the deceased was pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree.

Police say when they found the deceased's body, her hands had been restrained and blood was oozing from her ears and nose.

Preliminary investigations have however showed no signs of a struggle at the scene.