Senior Resident Magistrate David O. Odhiambo has set 6 November 2026 for the next hearing after the defence objected to an affidavit submitted by the complainant’s side, prompting the court to order both parties to examine the document before proceeding.

The postponement follows the conviction of banker Hannington Muthoka for attempted murder of his former lover, Elizabeth Shigari Bana, who was stabbed three times in the back in September 2023.

The trial, led by Principal Prosecution Counsel Barbara Sombo, presented ten witnesses and established that the knife penetrated Bana’s left lung, causing it to collapse, a finding classified as maim by a clinical officer.

According to court records, the attack occurred on 25 September 2023 in Bahati, Port Reitz, Changamwe, after Muthoka drove Bana to a secluded area where he demanded sex and then stabbed her when she tried to leave.

Bana, a teacher at Changamwe Secondary School, was initially taken to Port Reitz Hospital before being transferred to Aga Khan Hospital’s ICU for emergency surgery.

Muthoka denied intent to kill, claiming Bana stabbed herself during a struggle and supporting his version with photographs, visas, M‑Pesa receipts and WhatsApp messages, including a claim of a joint trip to Dubai.

Magistrate Odhiambo rejected the defence’s explanation, finding the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and that the severity of the injuries demonstrated intent to take Bana’s life, leading to conviction under Section 215 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The sentencing hearing, which was to consider mitigation, prosecution submissions and a victim impact statement, will now reconvene on 6 November to address the affidavit issue before determining Muthoka’s punishment.