Court told Sylvia Kemunto’s phone was found among church offerings

A pastor has told the High Court in Kibera that the mobile phone belonging to murdered Multimedia University of Kenya student Sylvia Kemunto Ayaye was found among church offerings, days after she was killed.

The church administrator at Jesus Is Alive Ministries testified that an Oppo mobile phone was discovered during the counting of collections on April 2, 2025.

“We kept the phone in safe custody until police officers came looking for it,” she told the court on Tuesday.

The witness said police informed church officials that call data indicated the deceased’s phone had been within the church compound.

Her testimony was heard in the murder trial of Erick Mutinda Philip, who is charged with murdering the student on March 30, 2025 at Multimedia University of Kenya, along Magadi Road in Nairobi’s Lang’ata Sub-County.

The court also heard evidence from Silas Ochieng Elphine Otieno, who was in charge of the university’s security department. He recounted how the institution received a report of Sylvia’s disappearance and worked with investigating officers to trace her.

Otieno told the court that on April 2,2025, a search team discovered a decomposing body inside a water reservoir tank on the rooftop of a university hostel. Police were alerted and took over the scene, where the body was identified as Sylvia’s.

Another witness, fellow student Neununa Mounira Namatsi, described Sylvia as a close friend and classmate. She recounted her attempts to contact her after she went missing.

Namatsi also described the relationship between Sylvia and the accused as toxic, alleging that he mistreated her.

She told the court that Sylvia had considered moving to a hostel outside the university to avoid frequent encounters with the accused. However, her mother reportedly advised her to remain at the university until she completed her studies.

Derrick Higai Luther, who shared a hostel room with the accused, testified about their accommodation arrangements and interactions with university security personnel during the investigation.

Meghan Nasserian Kihara, who had previously shared a room with Sylvia, also gave evidence about her knowledge of the deceased and information she received after the body was discovered.

The hearing continues.