Written by Kelly Were
Erick Mutinda, the main suspect in the brutal killing of Sylvia Kemunto, will stay in custody for at least another month as his trial moves forward.
Probation officers advised against releasing Mutinda on bail, citing concerns about his eligibility and the seriousness of the case.
The recommendation was presented during a pretrial session before Justice Diana Kavedza at the Kibera High Court.
This hearing comes nearly a month after Mutinda entered a not guilty plea to the murder charge.
The prosecution announced it intends to present 19 witnesses, most of whom are students from Multimedia University, to support its case.
To date, 17 witness statements have already been shared with the defense team.
Lawyers representing the prosecution and the victim’s family—Danstan Omari, Samson Nyaberi, and Shadrack Wambui—have submitted affidavits opposing Mutinda’s release on bond.
They argue that keeping him in custody is necessary for the integrity of the trial.
Mutinda faces charges under Section 204 of the Penal Code, Cap 63 of the Laws of Kenya.
He is accused of murdering Sylvia Kemunto Ayaye on March 30, 2025, within the premises of Multimedia University.
Kemunto’s body was discovered in a campus water tank several days after she had been reported missing.
A postmortem revealed she died from strangulation and had suffered blunt force trauma to the head.
Mutinda, who denies the accusations, remains detained at Nairobi Remand Prison. The court has set the hearing date for June 23, 2025.
