A court in Eldoret has ordered that the two people accused of murdering Kenyan-born Ugandan runner Benjamin Kiplagat undergo mental health evaluations before pleading guilty to murder charges.

Deputy High Court Registrar Rosemary Onkoba ordered that the suspects, David Ekai alias Timo (25) and Peter Khalumi (30), be escorted to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) for a mental assessment to determine whether they are mentally fit to stand trial.

She also ordered the two to be held in Eldoret GK remand prison until their appearance before the duty Judge on January 31, 2024, when they will be charged with murder.

PHOTO | COURTESY The two key suspects in the murder of Kenyan-born Ugandan athlete Edward Benjamin Kiplagat when they appeared before an Eldoret court on January 2, 2023.

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The suspects were apprehended in connection with the heinous murder of the Ugandan Olympic athlete, who was found fatally stabbed in his car in Kimumu estate on the Eldoret-Iten highway in Uasin Gishu County on December 31, 2024.

Officers discovered a knife suspected of being used in the 34-year-old athlete's death at the scene, with police indicating that the incident appeared to be a robbery.

The suspects are accused of stealing money and a cell phone from the deceased during the tragic incident.