The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has charged a Kericho man with the murder of his 100-year-old mother in a case that has stunned residents of Sigowet Sub-County.
Julius Cheruiyot Bett was arraigned in court and charged with murder “contrary to Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code.”
The prosecution alleges that Bett killed his mother, Grace Chelangat, on March 7, 2026, at Kiptere location in Sigowet.
According to court proceedings, the state, led by prosecutor David Fedha, told the court that the accused used a motor vehicle to run over his elderly mother, causing her death.
The prosecution linked the incident to a suspected inheritance dispute, stating that the accused had been persistently demanding a share of family property.
“It is alleged that the accused rammed and killed his mother with a motor vehicle,” the prosecution said, further noting that he had been “pestering for inheritance of the property, which led to the killing.”
Bett denied the charges when he appeared before Justice Joseph Sergon, pleading not guilty to the offence.
The court declined to grant him bond after the prosecution opposed his release, citing the gravity of the charge and circumstances surrounding the case.
The matter is set to be mentioned on May 12, 2026, for pre-trial directions as investigations and preparations for hearing continue.
The case has drawn attention due to the advanced age of the victim and the alleged family dispute at the centre of the incident, raising concerns about domestic conflicts and the protection of elderly persons within communities.
