Former Harambee Stars player Collins Okoth fails to take plea in murder case

Former Gor Mahia and Harambee Stars midfielder Collins Okoth Ougo alias Gattuso and his accused Sylvia Aoko Odhiambo were on Tuesday arraigned in court over the brutal murder of a minor in Lucky Summer estate, Ruaraka, Nairobi.

Appearing before Milimani High Court Judge Alexander Muteti, Okoth, and Aoko did not formally plead to the charges in connection with the alleged killing of three-year-old Pamela Atieno, also known as Scovian Maya in April.

This is after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions(ODPP) informed the court they were yet to file a mental health assessment report regarding the duo before they could take plea.
 
Justice Muteti directed that mental health assessment reports for Okoth and Aoko be submitted before they can take plea on September 11, 2024.

Okoth wanted the court to order the recovery and return of personal items seized from him at the time of his arrest.

The investigating officer Gilbert Kiprotich told court that the items, including a Samsung mobile phone and a wallet containing two identification cards and an NHIF card, had been documented in an inventory and signed by Okoth.

Justice Muteti directed the officer to return the phone to the former Harambee Stars player.

The court also instructed the investigating officer to file a formal complaint with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) regarding the handling of the personal items.

The Judge ordered Okoth to be held at Industrial Area Remand Prison and his co-accused at Lang'ata Women's Prison.

The former Harambee Stars player and Aoko, are accused of allegedly murdering Pamela Atieno on the night of April 22, 2024, when the mother had stepped out of their rental house.   

Police recovered the body which was was half-naked with bruises on the neck behind the house.

“Okoth with the help of his suspect are alleged to have broken into the deceased's parents rental house in Lucky Summer in the absence of her parents and committed the heinous act. Her lifeless body was later discovered dumped in a nearby residence,” said the ODPP.

Beatrice Awuor, said she left her 3-year-old daughter at around 1 am on April 22, and upon returning at 4 am, she did not find her in the house.

Investigating officer Kiprotich said in a sworn affidavit, that they recovered a weapon suspected to have been used to break into the house, and Okoth had allegedly started packing his belongings in readiness to flee from the scene of the crime.