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Ibrahim Rotich’s lawyer, Allan Ngigi Mbugua, has asked for a plea bargain in the hearing of Rotich’s alleged brutal murder of Agnes Tirop.

Apparently, Justice Nyakundi said that the state opposes the request for a plea bargain with Rotich,

The High Court in Eldoret heard the case and the request for the plea on Wednesday.

Mbugua framed the request around the notion that Rotich wants to pursue the healing process with the family for a lesser charge.

“My client wants to pursue the plea bargain path with the family of his estranged wife to lessen the pain they are going through since her killing occurred last year. We agree that a life has been lost and it is such an unfortunate incident and that is why we prefer the route of plea bargaining,” Mbugua said.

The framing also included the suggestion that a trial will bring the family into reliving the murder all over again.

“It is our view that a plea bargain deal would also help expedite the matter for the sake of justice for both parties,” Mbugua said.

“We are aware of the application, but at the moment the republic is not ready to yield to the application since the republic is ready to charge him with murder,” the prosecution said.

Apparently, the family is considering the plea.

“We have heard the application by the defense and we are not against it but we need time to discuss it and report back to court the position of the family on the application,” said Tirop’s lawyer Warigi.

However, the family refuses to acknowledge the alleged marriage of Rotich and Tirop. Rotich’s lawyer did produce a marriage certificate. The family remains resolute.

The case reconvenes on Dec. 7.

She was murdered by stabbing in 2021, shortly after setting the world 10K road record at 30:01 in a women’s-only road race in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Two years prior she set her 10,000m best at 30:25.20 and 5000m best at 14:20.68. Tirop twice earned bronze at the world championships in the 10,000m event and won the 2015 World Cross Country Championships.