Two suspects David Ekhai Lokere and Peter Ushuru Khakumi were arraigned in an Eldoret Court for the murder Kenyan born Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat.
Lokere alias Timo aged 25 and Khalumi aged 30 years appeared before Principal Magistrate Kesse Cherono who allowed police to hold the suspects for 21 days to facilitate completion of investigations.
DCI officer Inyasio Mwaniki attached to Moiben sub county in Uasin Gishu had told the court that they were still investigating the incident.
He said the body of the deceased was found lying in a pool of blood with stab wounds.
He said the two were arrested on January 1, 2024, in Eldoret and Kitale and they are suspected to have murdered the athlete.
“We are yet to conduct a postmortem on the deceased and crucial exhibits collected from suspects are yet to be taken for analysis at the government chemists,” said the DCI officer.
He said CCTV footage from the scene of the crime was also yet to be analysed by the cybercrime unit.
The DCI officer also noted that mobile phone records were also yet to be retrieved along with registration numbers for a car and a motorcycle found at the scene.
Mwaniki said they were also yet to record statements from witnesses at the scene.
He added that necessary information from the Uganda embassy on the status of the deceased before his death was yet to be established.
“It’s in the interest of justice that the respondents be held in custody for 21 days to facilitate completion of investigations,” said the officer.
Kiplagat has been competing for Uganda where he holds the 3,000m steeplechase
The body was found in a car at Texas near Kimumu Secondary school along the Eldoret-Iten Road