A chilling revelation has emerged in the murder trial of Multimedia University of Kenya student Sylvia Kemunto Ayaye after a pastor told the High Court in Kibera that her mobile phone was discovered among church offerings just days after her alleged murder.
The unexpected discovery has added a new dimension to the ongoing case, which has drawn attention to the circumstances surrounding the young student’s death at the university along Magadi Road in Lang’ata, Nairobi County.
Testifying before the court, a pastor who also serves as the church administrator at Jesus Is Alive Ministries revealed that an Oppo mobile phone was found among the church’s offerings on April 2, 2025, just three days after Ayaye was allegedly killed.
According to the witness, the phone was discovered during the counting of church collections, raising questions about how the device had ended up among the contributions.
The pastor told the court that church officials decided to keep the phone safely until police officers arrived seeking information about it.
“We kept the phone in safe custody until police officers came looking for it. They informed us that call data indicated that the deceased’s phone had been within the church compound,” the witness testified.
The phone was subsequently handed over to the police as investigations into Ayaye’s death gathered momentum.
The testimony was heard during the murder trial of Erick Mutinda Philip, who is accused of killing the Multimedia University student on March 30, 2025. The allegations against him remain subject to determination by the court.
Decomposing Body Discovered Inside University Hostel Tank
The court also heard disturbing details about the search for Ayaye after she was reported missing.
Silas Ochieng Elphine Otieno, who was in charge of the university’s security department, testified that the institution received a report concerning the student’s disappearance and began working with investigators to establish her whereabouts.
Otieno told the court that on April 2, 2025, a search team made a horrifying discovery when it found a decomposing body inside a water reservoir tank on the rooftop of a university hostel.
The discovery brought the search to a tragic end, prompting authorities to alert the police, who took over the scene and began investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.
The body was subsequently identified as that of Ayaye, according to the testimony presented in court.
The discovery has remained a central part of the case as investigators seek to establish what happened to the student and the events that preceded her death.
Friend Recounts Allegedly Troubled Relationship
Another key witness, Neununa Mounira Namatsi, a fellow student who described Ayaye as a close friend and classmate, gave the court an account of her attempts to reach the deceased after she went missing.
Namatsi also testified about the relationship between Ayaye and the accused, describing it as toxic and alleging that Mutinda mistreated her.
According to her testimony, Ayaye had at one point 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.
The testimony offered the court insight into the personal circumstances Ayaye was allegedly experiencing before her death. However, the allegations concerning the relationship remain matters for the court to consider alongside the other evidence presented during the trial.
Fellow Students Take the Witness Stand
The court also heard testimony from Derrick Higai Luther, a student who shared a hostel room with Mutinda.
Luther recounted their accommodation arrangements and interactions with university security personnel during the period under investigation, providing further details about the circumstances surrounding the case.
Meghan Nasserian Kihara, who had previously shared a room with Ayaye, also testified about her knowledge of the deceased and the information she received following the discovery of the body.
Their accounts form part of the evidence being presented as the prosecution seeks to establish the circumstances surrounding the student’s death.
Murder Trial Continues
Mutinda is charged with the murder of Ayaye, allegedly committed on March 30, 2025, at Multimedia University of Kenya in Lang’ata Sub-County, Nairobi County.
The discovery of the student’s phone among church offerings, coupled with testimony about the recovery of her body from a rooftop water reservoir, has brought several critical details into focus during the proceedings.
As the trial continues, the court is expected to examine the testimonies and other evidence presented by the prosecution and the defence before reaching a determination on the charges.
For Ayaye’s family, friends and fellow students, the proceedings represent an important step towards establishing what happened to the young woman whose life was cut short under tragic circumstances.
The court will ultimately determine the accused’s criminal responsibility based on the evidence presented during the trial.
