Husband of slain Kenyan runner Tirop seeks plea bargain

Husband of slain Kenyan runner Tirop seeks plea bargain

Murdered: Agnes Tirop was a star in the 5,000 and 10,000m categories
Murdered: Agnes Tirop was a star in the 5,000 and 10,000m categories. Photo: Jonathan NACKSTRAND / AFP
Source: AFP

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The husband of slain Kenyan distance runner Agnes Tirop is seeking a plea bargain after initially denying a charge of murder, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

Tirop, a rising star in the world of athletics, was killed last October in her home in Iten, a high-altitude training hub in western Kenya for top runners.

Emmanuel Ibrahim Rotich was arrested after a dramatic late-night chase the day after Tirop's body was found with stab wounds, and has been in custody ever since.

The 41-year-old denied a charge of murder at a November court appearance.

But in the latest twist in the legal saga, his lawyer Ngigi Mbugua told the Eldoret High Court that Rotich was willing to plead guilty to a lesser charge in the hope of attracting a more lenient sentence.

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The prosecution said it was not against the idea of a plea bargain but wanted Tirop's family to be involved in the process.

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A hearing on Rotich's request will take place on September 22.

Source: AFP

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