The High Court in Nairobi on Thursday morning, July 8, acquitted self-confessed serial killer Phillip Onyancha of the murder case of Chepngetich Misoi that happened in 2008.
13 years on, Justice Jesse Lesit ruled that the police had not carried out proper investigations hence acquitting Onyancha of the heinous crime.
In his defence, Onyancha stated that the deceased, Chepngetich Misoi committed suicide in her own house at Mount Kenya Building in Nairobi.
The High Court judge questioned why a stain of blood found on the door of the house of the deceased captured by the investigator was omitted in police investigations, a blunder that destroyed a critical lead for the case to determined whether the deceased had been murdered or she had committed suicide.
The judge further noted that he was convinced that Chepngetich was murdered, but no evidence suggested that the accused committed the crime.
The Judge thanked Onyancha's lawyer, Mary Chepseba who stuck with the case even after other lawyers attached to the case dismissed it.
The self-confessed serial killer's case has seen many twists and Justice Lesiit ordered a retrial of the case after his initial mental assessment was botched.
This came after reports of how he methodically lured his victims and executed murders on women and children and thereafter drunk their blood.
On July 19, 2010, Ronald Kokonyaa provincial government psychiatrist appeared in court with a report for the panel saying they had reached the conclusion that Onyancha was fit to stand trial and even hire a lawyer, and if set free a repeat of the same crimes could occur. The accused entered a not guilty plea.
However, Justice Lesiit doubted the psychiatric findings, and he ordered a repeat of the same, to be conducted by Kenya's chief Psychiatrist, aided by two more psychiatrists.
Upon the second assessment, which involved lawyers Paul Muite, physiatric reports stated that Onyancha was mentally disturbed and hence not fit to stand trial.
The prosecution ordered that the accused be jailed at the pleasure of the president. After acquittal, Onchancha still remains on remand for two more murder cases that are still pending in court.
Onyancha, while in prison, had made a number of media interviews where he stated he had reformed and describes himself as a born again Christian.
