NAIROBI, Kenya — October 28, 2026
A church administrator has told the High Court in Kibera that a mobile phone belonging to murdered Multimedia University of Kenya student Sylvia Kemunto Ayaye was discovered among church offerings, adding a new detail to the ongoing murder trial.
The witness, who serves at Jesus Is Alive Ministries, testified that the Oppo handset was found while church collections were being counted on April 2, 2025.
According to testimony reported by Citizen Digital and Education News, the discovery occurred three days after the date prosecutors allege Sylvia was murdered.
The church administrator told the court that the phone was kept safely until police officers arrived to collect it during investigations into the student’s death.
Police Traced the Phone to the Church
The witness told the court that police officers informed church staff that call-data records had placed Sylvia’s phone within the church compound.
The handset was subsequently handed over to investigators.
During the proceedings, the administrator confirmed that the phone presented in court was the same device recovered from the church offerings.
The testimony forms part of the evidence being presented as prosecutors seek to establish the circumstances surrounding Sylvia’s death.
The discovery of the phone is one element of the investigation, and its significance must be assessed alongside the other evidence presented in court.
University Security Officer Recounts Search
The court also heard testimony from Silas Ochieng Elphine Otieno, who was in charge of security at Multimedia University when Sylvia was reported missing.
Otieno told the court that the institution received information about her disappearance and worked with investigators to search for her.
On April 2, 2025, a search team discovered a body inside a water reservoir tank on the rooftop of a university hostel.
Police were alerted and took control of the scene. The body was subsequently identified as Sylvia’s.
The discovery prompted investigations into the circumstances surrounding the student’s disappearance and death.
Friend Testifies About Sylvia’s Relationship
A fellow student, Neununa Mounira Namatsi, also testified during the proceedings.
Namatsi, who described Sylvia as a close friend and classmate, told the court about her attempts to contact her after she went missing.
She also described Sylvia’s relationship with Erick Mutinda Philip, the accused, as troubled and alleged that he had mistreated her.
According to the testimony reported by the media, Sylvia had considered moving to accommodation outside the university to avoid repeated encounters with the accused.
Her friend told the court that Sylvia’s mother had advised her to remain at the university until she completed her studies.
These statements form part of the witness evidence and have not, by themselves, established the accused’s guilt.
Who Is the Accused in the Case?
Erick Mutinda Philip is facing a murder charge over Sylvia’s death, which prosecutors allege occurred on March 30, 2025, at Multimedia University along Magadi Road in Nairobi’s Lang’ata area.
Other witnesses, including students who shared accommodation with the accused and people who knew Sylvia, have also testified about events surrounding her disappearance and the subsequent investigation.
The prosecution is presenting evidence for the court to consider as the trial continues.
Philip has denied the charge. He remains an accused person, and the court has yet to make a final determination of the case.
The testimony about the phone, together with accounts from university security personnel and fellow students, is among the evidence being examined during the proceedings.
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