By GPC News Desk
A mobile phone belonging to murdered Multimedia University of Kenya student Sylvia Kemunto Ayaye was found among church offerings during the counting of collections, a High Court in Kibera heard.
A church administrator at Jesus Is Alive Ministries told the court that an Oppo phone was discovered among the offerings on April 2, 2025.
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The witness said the church kept the phone before handing it over to police officers who went looking for it.
“We kept the phone in safe custody until police officers came looking for it. They informed us that call data indicated that the deceased’s phone had been within the church compound,” she testified.
The testimony was heard in the murder trial of Erick Mutinda Philip, who is accused of killing the student.
The court also heard from Silas Ochieng Elphine Otieno, who was in charge of security at the university. He told the court how the institution received a report of Sylvia’s disappearance and worked with investigators to trace her.
Otieno said a search team discovered a decomposing body inside a water reservoir tank on the rooftop of a university hostel on April 2, 2025. Police were alerted and took over the scene, where the body was identified as that of the missing student.
Another witness, fellow student Neununa Mounira Namatsi, described Sylvia as a close friend and classmate. She recounted her attempts to reach her after she went missing.
Namatsi also testified about the relationship between Sylvia and the accused, describing it as toxic and alleging that Mutinda mistreated her.
She told the court that Sylvia had considered moving to a hostel outside the university to avoid frequent encounters with the accused. However, her mother reportedly advised her to remain at the institution and complete her studies.
Derrick Higai Luther, who shared a hostel room with Mutinda, also testified about their accommodation arrangements and interactions with university security personnel during the period under investigation.
Meghan Nasserian Kihara, who had previously shared a room with Sylvia, gave evidence about her knowledge of the deceased and information she received following the discovery of the body.
Mutinda is charged with murdering Sylvia on March 30, 2025, at Multimedia University of Kenya along Magadi Road in Lang’ata Sub-County, Nairobi County.
The hearing continues.
