“Temporary Madness” Made Me Kill Her, Man From Nakuru Tells Court Why He Killed His Girlfriend

A guy in Nakuru, Kenya, who was remanded after fatally stabbing his girlfriend, now claims he did so because he was experiencing “temporary craziness.”

On February 19, 2018, in the Njokerio estate in Nakuru County, Edmond Ruto, a third-year student at Egerton University, admitted to stabbing his girlfriend, Cynthia Cheplang’at, six times.

Ruto said during his testimony before High Court Judge Joel Ngugi in Nakuru that his four years of jail at Nakuru GK Prisons had transformed him into a better person.

In addition, he gave the court a certificate of good conduct for the instruction he had received in the prison.

“I am the cause of everything and it pains me because my actions brought unimaginable pain to both Chelang’at’s family and mine. I am sorry and I regret everything,” said Ruto as quoted by the Standard.

“If I knew what I know now, maybe Chelang’at would still be alive today.”

The family of Chelang’at are being represented by attorney Kipkoech Ng’etich, who minimized the apology and said it was disguised in farce.

“Ruto’s family had time between 2018 and 2021 but they did not ask for forgiveness until 2022. Their action not in good faith,” Lawyer Kipkoech told the court.

Kipkoech further maintained that Ruto still deserves a harsh sentence to serve as an example for those committing the same offense.

“To send a message to men and women who use their spouses as punching bags, the court should give the accused a severe sentence, as an example to others,” said Ruto.

Ruto begged the judge to give him a three-year non-custodial sentence so he could utilize his abilities to assist other children who were in a similar situation.

On September 29, he will be given his punishment.