The sheer brutality of the crime has sent shockwaves through the academic community in Uasin Gishu County. Standing in the dock at the Eldoret Law Courts, 24-year-old Tonny Kimwetich Kangor appeared stoic as prosecutors detailed how a relationship gone sour culminated in a gruesome acid attack that has left a young woman scarred for life.

The incident, which occurred on July 28, 2025, represents a chilling escalation in intimate partner violence within the nation's tertiary institutions. Kangor, a final-year student at the Rift Valley Technical Training Institute (RVTTI), is accused of waylaying his ex-girlfriend, Evaline Jelimo Sum, 23, before dousing her with concentrated sulphuric acid. The attack allegedly took place in the SOS area of Kapsoya Estate, just moments before Sum was scheduled to sit for her final examinations.

"If I Can't Have You..."

Court documents paint a harrowing picture of obsession and premeditation. Prosecutors told Senior Resident Magistrate Odhiambo Gweno that Kangor had struggled to accept the end of his relationship with Sum. On the fateful morning, he reportedly ambushed her as she walked to college. Witnesses described a brief, heated confrontation where Kangor demanded a reconciliation. When Sum refused, walking away to avoid being late for her papers, Kangor allegedly uncorked a container he had been concealing and splashed the corrosive liquid onto her face, neck, and arms.

"The victim's screams alerted fellow students who were also rushing to the examination halls," a detective from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) testified. "They found her writhing in agony, the chemical burning through her clothes and skin." Sum was rushed to the college dispensary before being transferred to St. Luke's Hospital, where she has been undergoing specialized treatment for third-degree burns.

• The Investigation: The delay in bringing Kangor to court—six months after the incident—was attributed to the rigorous forensic analysis required. The Government Chemist needed time to conclusively identify the substance as industrial-grade sulphuric acid, a key piece of evidence in the charge of causing grievous harm.
• The Defense: Kangor, who was arrested while attempting to sit for his own exams shortly after the attack, denied the charges. His defense team argued for lenient bond terms, stating he was not a flight risk. However, the prosecution vehemently opposed this, citing the gravity of the injuries and the threat he poses to the victim.

A Crisis in Campuses

This case is not an isolated tragedy but a symptom of a broader crisis of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) plaguing Kenyan campuses. Data from gender rights organizations indicate a 40% spike in violence among university students over the last three years, often triggered by breakups or rejected advances. The brutality of using acid—a weapon designed not just to harm but to permanently disfigure and erase identity—speaks to a deep-seated toxicity that administrators and law enforcement are struggling to contain.

The magistrate released Kangor on a bond of KSh 60,000 or a cash bail of KSh 20,000, setting the next mention for February 9, 2026. As the legal process grinds on, Evaline Jelimo Sum remains in recovery, her dreams of graduation deferred by a moment of calculated cruelty. For the students of RVTTI, the case is a grim reminder that sometimes the greatest danger lies not in the streets, but within their own circles.