University student accused of murder alleges torture

Egerton University. A student is facing charges of killing his girlfriend. PHOTO/FILE 

In Summary

• CID officers threatened to castrate him if he did not cooperate
• he was in love with his girlfriend and could not have had a reason to kill her
• Witness said Mr Dimba had booked a room using someone else’s identification documents

By WANJIRU MACHARIA
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A university student accused of killing his girlfriend on Friday told the High Court in Nakuru that he was tortured to confess that he committed the offence.

The Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Economy student at Egerton University said Criminal Investigation Department officers threatened to castrate him if he did not cooperate.

Mr Alex Dimba is charged with killing Miriam Njoki Thige at Mt Sinai Hotel in Nakuru on the nights of February 21 and 22, 2008.

In his defence before Lady Justice Hellen Omondi, Mr Dimba said he was in love with his girlfriend and could not have had a reason to kill her.

“She was my girlfriend for five years and we enjoyed a cordial and happy relationship all the years were together such that we were even planning to take to the next level after finishing our university studies,” he said.

He added that Miriam’s death was a double tragedy for him since it had landed him in prison yet he lost someone dear.

In his alibi, Mr Dimba said he was in his rural home in Rarieda on February 22, 2008 although he was supposed to report back to college around the same time.

He explained that he was in no hurry to return since students were supposed to report back to college between February 22 and March 7.

"I reported back at Egerton on the early morning of March 7 and went ahead with my registration as usual,” he said.

FOUL SMELL

He told Lady Justice Omondi that he later received a call from his step-father informing him that CID officers are looking for him.

Mr Dimba narrated to the court how he was taken by the officers in Nakuru, subjected to an identification parade before being made to record a statement.

He claimed that he had to confess committing the offence after the officers threatened to crash his genitals.

Earlier, an employee at the hotel where Miriam’s body was found told the court that Mr Dimba had booked a room using someone else’s identification documents.

The employee said Mr Dimba left the room the next morning with instructions that it (the room) should not be disturbed since he had left his luggage therein and that he would return.

She explained that the hotel management had to open the room two days later due to a foul smell emanating from it and were shocked to find a corpse.

The case is coming up on November 26 for submissions.