Teacher in court for killing pupil, baby

In Summary

• The primary school teacher has been charged with allegedly murdering his pupil and her 10-month-old baby whom he allegedly sired after defiling the girl.
• The suspect allegedly killed the minor and buried her body in a shallow grave near his home before strangling the baby and throwing her body in a bush.
• Mr Ooko is alleged to have committed the offence in an attempt to interfere with the defilement case he was facing at Mbita law court in which the pupil was the key witness.

A primary school teacher from Homa Bay County has been charged with murdering his pupil and her 10-month-old baby.

Mr Eric Otieno Ooko of Gethsemane Academy on Mfangano Island is accused of killing the class eight pupil and her baby, whom he allegedly sired.

It is alleged that the suspect committed the offence in order to interfere with witnesses in a defilement case he was facing at Mbita Law Courts.

Appearing before Homa Bay High Court Judge Justice Joseph Karanja, the suspect was charged with two counts of murder.

DEFILED PUPIL

Mr Ooko is reported to have impregnated the 13-year-old learner last year.

According to an affidavit signed by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations officer in charge of Mbita Sub-County Philip Sang, the suspect killed the minor and buried her body in a shallow grave near his home. Mr Ooko is alleged to have later strangled the baby and dumped her body in a bush within the same area.

The two bodies were later discovered by residents who were drawn to the site by a foul smell.

According to Mr Sang, the suspect committed the offence in an attempt to interfere with the defilement case he was facing at Mbita law court in which the pupil was the key witness.

GIRL'S DISAPPEARANCE

In the affidavit, the investigative officer indicated that the minor left her cousin's house with her baby to attend an antenatal clinic in Sindo Town on January 22 but she failed to return. Her whereabouts were not immediately established.

The disappearance of the pupil forced the court to withdraw the case due to lack of witness.

However before the withdrawal of the case, Mr Ooko was charged with conspiracy to interfere with witnesses.

He was to appear in court on April 11 but he absconded the proceeding, leading to issuance of an arrest warrant.

DENIED BOND

The suspect allegedly disappeared from his village after learning that the bodies had been discovered by villagers.

Mr Ooko was later arrested by DCI officials in his hideout at Obunga estate in Kisumu before being arraigned in court.

He denied the charges before Justice Karanja. 

State council requested the court to deny the suspect bond on grounds of possible interference with witnesses in the case.

Justice Karanja ruled that he be remanded without bond, further directing the accused to apply for the bond at later stages of the case.

The case will be heard on April 6, 2020.