Student tells court accused confessed to strangling girlfriend, putting him on suitcase

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A Multimedia University (MMU) student has told a Nairobi court that Erick mutinda a student accused of murdering his girlfriend Sylvia Kemunto, confessed to strangling her, packing her body in a suitcase, and disposing of it.

Testifying before Justice Diana Kavedza of Kibera law courts, 19-year-old Philip said Erick called him on the night of April 3, 2025, and narrated how he allegedly killed the deceased Sylvia Kemunto.

"On the April 3,2025 Erick called me and told me that he had strangled her girlfriend by holding her neck, packed the body in a suitcase, and took it from his room using the back door of Block E, which has CCTV cameras," witness told the court.

Erick Mutinda accused in the murder of multimedia University student Sylvia Kemunto /Photo/Sarah Awinja 

The witness added that Erick asked him to keep the confession secret and mentioned he could flee to Tanzania using his father’s car. 

The witness who says he has known the accused since their days at Matiliku High School, described him as calm, friendly, bright, and popular on campus.

Kigome recounted that on March 30, 2025, he went hiking at Ololua Range, and later received calls from Erick asking if he had seen Sylvia. 

At around 7 p.m., Erick called inquiring about her whereabouts, and when Kigome called Sylvia, the call was answered but no one spoke. 

Erick Mutinda in courts/Photo/Sarah Awinja 

He acknowledged that his earlier statement to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) noted that he communicated with Erick on March 31.

The witness said campus rumours suggested Sylvia might have been pregnant, which he could not verify. He also confirmed that Erick had been flirting with other women, straining his relationship with Sylvia, though the couple later reconciled and exchanged Valentine’s Day gifts.

He further confirmed earlier testimony from Sylvia’s mother Triza Kwamboka that an iron box belonging to Sylvia had been taken by Erick but later returned.

He also noted that CCTV footage from Block E’s back pathway could help investigators.

Sylvia Kemunto, a Mass Communications and Computer Science student, disappeared under mysterious circumstances on March 30, 2025, and was later recovered in a water tank on the rooftop of a university hostel.

The hearing is set to continue on March 16, 2026, before Justice Kavedza at the Kibera Law Courts.

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