A 37-year old Kenyan athlete David Siloba who is facing charges of murdering his girlfriend by cutting her into pieces and burning the remains in Eldoret has been put on his defence by the High Court in Eldoret, Kenya.
“Mr Siloba, I have found you have a case to answer and consequently, you will be put on your defence. You will be given the options of giving sworn or unsworn evidence, or the third option, you just keep quiet and leave the court to give its verdict,” Justice Reuben Nyakundi informed the David Siloba.
The ruling on whether David Siloba had a case to answer comes five years after the Prosecution closed its case in which 13 witnesses testified. The trial had been delayed for months after the court directed that Siloba be transferred to the Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital in Nairobi for further examination and treatment as recommended by a psychiatrist whose assessment report found that the accused was mentally ill. Siloba was later declared fit to face trial.
While delivering his ruling, the presiding Judge also observed that that the evidence presented by the prosecution was sufficient to place the accused person on his defence for the killing of Kisuya.
“This court, therefore, makes a finding that the prosecution discharged the burden of proof of establishing a prima facie case to warrant the court to exercise discretion to place him on his defence,” ruled Justice Nyakundi.
During the hearing, witnesses recounted how the Siloba asked for help from a neighbor to dispose of Kisuya’s body. One witness informed court that when he went to Siloba’s home, he saw smoke billowing out of a green drum, and would later learn that it was the deceased’s body.
Siloba has denied any involvement in the murder of Fiona Kisuya on February 24, 2019, at their home in Kapsoya, Uasin Gishu County. He has been in custody after he was denied bond and bail.
