A heart-wrenching scene unfolded at Kibera Law Courts on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, as the mother of murdered Multimedia University student Sylvia Kemunto broke down in uncontrollable sobs when the man accused of killing her daughter appeared in court.
Erick Mutinda, the key suspect in the brutal killing, was brought in for plea taking, and the courtroom descended into a state of visible grief and anguish. As Mutinda stood in the dock, expressionless and calm, all eyes turned to the back of the courtroom where Triza Kwamboka, Sylvia’s mother, burst into tears. Her wails pierced the tense silence as relatives rushed to comfort the devastated mother. Court orderlies paused proceedings to restore calm as the grief-stricken mother, still reeling from the loss of her only daughter, struggled to remain composed while facing the man accused of ending her child’s life.
Mutinda, who is accused of having murdered 20-year-old Kemunto in cold blood and hidden her body inside a water tank, pleaded not guilty to the charges. Despite the sorrow and pain in the courtroom, the case proceeded, with the Lady Justice Diana Kavedza Mochache of Kibera High Court ordering that Mutinda be held in custody for 30 more days pending the filing of a probation report. The case is set for mention on May 29, 2025.
Mutinda’s detention has been ongoing since his arrest, following a period of investigation. On April 7, 2025, the court had granted the police 21 days to continue detaining him at the Capitol Hill station to allow the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to complete its investigations. Senior Principal Magistrate Zainab Abdul had ruled that it would not be wise to release him at this stage, especially given the gravity of the crime and the fact that a life had been lost.
The tragic story began on March 30, 2025, when Sylvia Kemunto, a first-year Mass Communications and Computer Science major at Multimedia University, vanished without a trace. Her mother, Triza Kwamboka, became alarmed when her calls to confirm the receipt of upkeep money went unanswered. Triza then visited the university, only to find that her daughter had disappeared. A police report was filed at Langata Police Station, and investigations began.
It was revealed that Kemunto’s roommate had left her alone in their Block B room number 90 on the day she went missing. Eyewitnesses reported seeing Mutinda moving a suitcase, believed to be Kemunto’s, from her room to his own room in Block E. The following day, Mutinda’s roommate noticed the suitcase was missing.
Further investigation by the police traced Kemunto’s phone records, which placed her within the university compound until approximately 10 pm on the day she disappeared. A foul smell emanating from Block E led investigators to a water tank on the rooftop of the building. It was there that Kemunto’s decomposing body was discovered, three days after her disappearance.
Mutinda’s decision to turn himself in, accompanied by his parents, raised further questions about the circumstances surrounding Kemunto’s death. The case has shocked the nation, and the heart-wrenching scene in court is a testament to the deep pain felt by those closest to Sylvia Kemunto. The legal proceedings are expected to continue, with many hoping for justice to be served in this tragic case.
