An Egerton University student was yesterday sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing his girlfriend in Njoro, Nakuru county.
Appearing before Justice Joel Ngugi, Edmond Ruto was found guilty of manslaughter after pleading to a lesser charge.
In his ruling Justice Ngugi noted that the murder was a clear example of toxic masculinity that needs to be discouraged in society.
“This is the kind of toxic masculine behaviour that requires vehement discouragement in our young people as the victim’s counsel correctly pointed out,” ruled justice Ngugi.
“I have formed the opinion that a custodial sentence of ten years will be sufficient for this crime,” ruled Ngugi.
The sentence shall run from February 2018 when the suspect was arraigned in court.
Ruto is accused of killing his girlfriend, Cynthia Chelangat a fourth-year Egerton University student, inside her rental room in a hostel in Njokerio area in the Njoro sub county on February 9, 2018.
Ruto, also a fourth-year student at the same university, sneaked into the room after Chelangat had told him her intention to end the relationship the previous night.
According to preliminary investigations, Ruto angrily demanded an immediate explanation from her regarding details of her movements after that night they broke up and wanted to know where she had spent the night as well as the detailed record of her actions since they were last together.
However, Chelangat said she owed him no explanations since they were no longer together prompting a heated argument.
Ruto took a kitchen knife that was lying on the table and fatally assaulted the deceased.
He stabbed her twice on the neck, then on the stomach and later on her thigh then turned the knife on himself.
Ruto was rushed to the hospital, treated and discharged before being handed over to the police.
After a three-year-trial, confessed to killing his girlfriend by stabbing her in the neck and stomach before attempting to commit suicide.