A Kibera Law Court has ordered the 21-day detention of Erick Mutinda, a university student suspected of murdering Sylvia Kemunto, a fellow student at Multimedia University (MMU). The court granted the prosecution’s request for more time to complete investigations into the tragic incident that has drawn national attention.
Mutinda, a first-year Bachelor of Mathematics for Computer Science student, was arrested on April 4 in Sultan Hamud after Kemunto’s lifeless body was discovered in a rooftop water tank at the MMU hostel. The deceased was also a first-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications.
During the court session, the prosecution argued that the suspect is under investigation for murder and that preliminary findings indicate he may have committed the crime. Lawyers representing the family, Danstan Omari and Shadrach Wamboi, condemned the act as femicide a gender-based killing and called for greater accountability from learning institutions.
“Take judicial notice that the offence is alleged to have been committed within Multimedia University, an institution where every parent sends their daughter believing it to be a safe haven,” Omari told the court.
The defense opposed the extended detention, emphasizing that Mutinda had not yet been formally charged. They argued that continued custody would infringe upon his constitutional rights. Defense lawyers further stated that the 19-year-old suspect comes from a humble background and is cooperating fully with the investigations, including willingness to undergo blood tests and participate in the autopsy process.
The court acknowledged the severity of the alleged offence and ruled that releasing the suspect on bail at this stage would be inappropriate. Mutinda will remain in custody at Capitol Hill Police Station, and the case will be mentioned again on April 28.
Kemunto’s family, deeply devastated by the loss, called for justice, noting that Sylvia was their only hope. Lawyer Wamboi further urged that if others were involved in aiding the suspect, they too should be brought to justice.
The case has reignited discussions around campus safety and the growing threat of gender-based violence in institutions of higher learning.
