The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has formally charged Erick Mutinda Philip with the murder of 20-year-old Sylvia Kemunto Ayaye, a first-year student at the Multimedia University of Kenya.
Philip appeared before the High Court in Kibera, where he was charged with murder contrary to Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code.
According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on March 30, 2025, at Multimedia University, located along Magadi Road in Karen, Lang’ata Sub-County. The accused is alleged to have murdered Ayaye, who was pursuing a degree in Mathematics and Computer Science, during a visit to her hostel room.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the two had previously been in an intimate relationship, which ended in February 2025. On the day of the incident, the accused allegedly strangled the victim manually during a discussion about their breakup. He then placed her body in a green suitcase and transported it to his own hostel room.
The body was later discovered inside a half-filled rooftop water reservoir in the building where the accused lived. The tank had been sealed with a wire and stone.
Further investigations led to the recovery of Ayaye’s mobile phone at Jesus is Alive Ministry Church. Police say the accused guided them to the church, where it was found that he had placed the phone on the pulpit as an offering on April 1, 2025, after discarding the SIM card.
A post-mortem examination confirmed that the cause of death was asphyxia due to ligature strangulation, as well as head injuries consistent with blunt force trauma.
Following the incident, the accused fled to Tanzania but later surrendered to the Sultan Hamud Police Station on the advice of his family.
The case is scheduled for mention on May 29, 2025.