Former Harambee Stars Player Charged with Murder of 3-Year-Old Girl

On Tuesday, September 3, 2024, a former Harambee Stars player faced court proceedings related to the alleged murder of a three-year-old girl.

The player and an accomplice appeared before Justice Alexander Muteti at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi. The court deferred their plea, directing that mental assessment reports be filed before the defendants entered pleas on September 11, 2024. Prosecutors confirmed that both suspects had undergone medical evaluations. The charges stem from a horrific incident in Lucky Summer Estate, Ruaraka, where the suspects allegedly broke into the victim's family's rental home during the parents' absence and committed the crime.

“The suspect with the help of his co-accused 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,” stated the prosecution team.

The child's body was later discovered discarded at a nearby residence. During the hearing, the investigating officer addressed claims regarding the retention of the former player's belongings, clarifying that a mobile phone and wallet containing identification documents had been properly inventoried upon arrest. The court instructed the officer to return the phone and file a formal compliance report with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority. The primary suspect, a well-known ex-Gor Mahia and Harambee Stars midfielder named Collins Okoth, also known as Gattuso, is accused alongside his co-defendant of murdering the minor in April 2024.

Okoth has been held at Industrial Area Remand Prison since July 23, while his co-accused is detained at Lang'ata Women's Prison. The case has garnered significant public attention due to Okoth's prominence in Kenyan football, having played for several top-tier clubs. The brutal nature of the crime has sparked outrage within Lucky Summer with residents voicing their grief and calling for swift justice for the victim and her family.