The prime suspect in the murder case of a seven-year-old girl in Witemere slum in Nyeri in May 2025, surprised the High court in Nyeri with a request to change his plea for the second time.
Hearing of the case had been set to begin on Thursday (today) where the prosecution had lined up two witnesses.
But through his lawyer Mahugu Mbarire, the accused Nicholas Julius Macharia asked the court to read him the charges afresh.
“In readiness for the hearing, I had conferred with my client, and we are requesting for the information to be read again because he is intending to change his plea,” said Mbarire.
Macharia is accused of committing the offence of murder contrary to Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal code.
According to the charges, he is accused of killing Tamara Blessing Kabura on May 24, 2026. The offense carries a maximum sentence of death.
This is the third time that he is taking a plea over the case and the second time that the court will be recording his plea.
Macharia first appeared before Justice Magare Kizito on June 12 last year when he pleaded guilty.
However, despite entering the guilty plea and a mental assessment report from the Murang’a Level V hospital confirming that was mentally fit to stand trial, the court did not record his first plea. Instead, Justice Magare directed that Macharia be remanded in prison custody for 46 days after which he would be presented in court again to take a plea.
At the time, the judge said that he needed to be certain that the Macharia understood the legal implications of pleading guilty to the offence.
“The accused has pleaded guilty to the charge. The sentence for the plea is that this court will sentence him to death. But before the court proceeds to sentencing, he will be given sometime in prison remand to reflect,” said the Judge.
“The matter shall be mentioned again on July 29, 2026 when he will retake the plea which the court shall enter in its record on that day because I need to take note that he has reflected on it,” added Justice Magare while giving directions over the matter.
Macharia later appeared a second time before Justice Magare in July last where he denied the offence paving the way for the case to proceed to full trial.
During the proceeding, the court also granted the State Prosecutor Mr Kihara, seven days to acquaint himself with the matter after he informed the court that he was handling the case for the first time.
The matter will proceed on February 9 for reading of the facts of the case and for the parties to submit their sentencing submissions.
Speaking to journalists after the court proceedings, the father of the deceased Kelvin Mutahi expressed optimism that the case was nearing its conclusion.
“It has been a long and painful journey and now that the matter is nearing its conclusion we are hoping for justice to be dispensed so that we can continue with the healing process. We are hoping for the best and justice to be served to us all,” said Nyaga.
By Wangari Mwangi
