Eldoret student charged over acid attack on ex-girlfriend
A 24-year-old student at Rift Valley Technical Training Institute in Eldoret has been charged before an Eldoret court over alleged acid attack on his former girlfriend and a fellow student that left her with serious injuries.
Tonny Kimwetich Kangor was arraigned before Senior Resident Magistrate Odhiambo Gweno, where he denied a charge of causing grievous harm. “It’s not true, your honour,” Kangor told the court.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), both Kangor and the complainant were students at Rift Valley Technical Training Institute in Eldoret and were sitting their final examinations at the time of the incident.
The two were previously in a romantic relationship that reportedly ended badly, with the victim alleging she had received repeated threats from the accused.
The prosecution stated that on July 28, 2025, the victim was walking from Kapsoya Estate towards the college in the SOS area of Ainabkoi, Uasin Gishu County, when she heard someone calling her near the campus.
She allegedly recognised the voice as that of her former boyfriend and tried to walk faster, but he caught up with her and poured acid on her face.
The victim screamed for help as the corrosive substance caused severe burns. A fellow student rushed her to the campus clinic, from where she was referred to St Luke’s Hospital for specialised treatment. She is still undergoing medical care for serious burns affecting the left side of her head, neck and arm.
Kangor was later arrested while sitting for examinations at the institution. During the hearing, Magistrate Gweno questioned the delay in charging the suspect. Prosecutors explained that the delay was due to ongoing investigations, including forensic analysis by the Government Chemist.
The prosecution urged the court to consider the seriousness of the offence when setting bail, while the defence argued that the accused was not a flight risk and had cooperated with investigators.
The court released Kangor on a Sh50,000 bond with a similar surety or an alternative cash bail of Sh20,000. The case will be mentioned on February 9, 2025 for further directions.
