Nyeri: The High Court in Nyeri has granted the prime suspect in the defilement and murder case of a seven-year-old girl in Witemere, Nyeri County, 46 days to reflect after he pleaded guilty to murder charges.
According to Kenya News Agency, Justice Kizito Magare directed that the accused, 39-year-old Nicholas Julius Macharia, be remanded in prison custody until the end of July this year. Macharia will be presented in court again to retake the plea. Justice Magare emphasized that the accused had pleaded guilty to a capital offense, and it was necessary to ensure that Macharia understood the penalty, which is a death sentence.
Justice Magare stated, "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 with sentencing, he will be given some time in prison remand to reflect. The matter shall be mentioned again on July 29, 2025, 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 (penalty)."
Macharia is accused of committing the offense of murder contrary to Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code. His charge sheet indicates that Macharia is accused of killing Tamara Blessing Kabura on May 24, 2025, at Witemere within Nyeri Township, in Nyeri County.
Earlier, the state prosecutor Anthony Kimani informed the court that a mental assessment report filed in court demonstrated that the accused was fit to take a plea. The mental evaluation report, seen by KNA, was conducted by Dr. Juliana Mbuthia, the Consultant Psychiatrist at the Murang'a Level V Hospital. It confirmed that Macharia is mentally well and fit to plead.
The medical assessment conducted on June 11 stated, "He was arrested due to murder. There is no past medical or surgical history, no past psychiatric history but gives history of use of alcohol and cigarettes, no family history of mental illness. He appears a calm man, able to express himself making eye contact." The report concluded with, "Clinical Opinion; Mentally well, fit to plead," as signed by Dr. Mbuthia.
Macharia was initially arraigned at the Nyeri Law Courts on May 27 before Senior Principal Magistrate Faith Munyi. The court ordered that he be held for 14 days to allow the police to complete their investigations into the murder of Tamara, after her body was found buried in his house in Kiawara slums on May 26.