Husband of slain Agnes Tirop seeks plea bargain

The husband of slain Kenyan distance runner Agnes Tirop is seeking a plea bargain after initially denying a charge of murder, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

Tirop, a rising star in the world of athletics, was killed last October in her home in Iten, a high-altitude training hub in Kenya for top runners.

Slain Kenyan athlete's husband finally charged with murder

Emmanuel Ibrahim Rotich was arrested after a dramatic late-night chase the day after Tirop's body was found with stab wounds, and has been in custody ever since.

The 41-year-old denied a charge of murder at a November court appearance.

Agnes Tirop's husband facing murder charge after police nab him trying to flee the country

But in the latest twist in the legal saga, his lawyer Ngigi Mbugua told theHigh Court in Eldoret that Rotich was willing to plead guilty to a lesser charge in the hope of attracting a more lenient sentence.

The prosecution said it was not against the idea of a plea bargain but wanted Tirop's family to be involved in the process.

A hearing on Rotich's request will take place on September 22.

© Agence France-Presse