Kisii quartet jailed for 135 years for killing four grannies over witchcraft claims
What you need to know:
- Speaking to Nation.Africa after the sentencing, Christopher Mayaka, one of the children of the late Sindege Mayaka, welcomed Justice Kiarie’s judgment and said that his mother’s soul will finally rest in peace.
- “We have been satisfied with the judgement and we will follow what the Judge will tell us. My mother’s soul can now rest in peace. I appeal to those who have been released that once they come back to the village, let us all live in peace and harmony and take our country forward,” Mr Mayaka said.
Four villagers, among them a father and his son, have been handed a total of 135 years in jail after they were found guilty of murdering four elderly women within the Marani area of Kisii County.
Amos Nyakundi Ondieki, alias Sonko, Evans Ogeto Okari, and Hesborn Ong’ondi Gichana will now serve 40 years in prison each, while Chrispine Makworo- MOndieki’s son, will be imprisoned for 15 years.
The four men were found guilty of murdering the grannies on claims that they practised witchcraft.
While delivering the sentence in a virtual court session on Wednesday morning, Justice Waweru Kiarie said Mr Makworo received a lenient punishment because he was a minor at the time of committing the offence.
“The second accused person (Chrispine Makworo) is hereby sentenced to serve 15 years imprisonment for it was established that she was a minor by the time of committing the offence,” Justice Kiarie said.
The four were found guilty of murdering Jemima Miranga 60, Agnes Ototo 57, Sigara Onkware 62, and Sindege Mayaka 85 in October 2021.
The grannies were accused of bewitching a Form Four student.
They were picked from their homes by an angry mob wielding machetes hoes, axes, and clubs and frogged marched to an open field in Nyagonyi village where they were lynched.
Pleas by the women and their family members for mercy fell on deaf ears.
One of the grannies, Siendege Mayaka, even attempted to entice the mob with some cash to spare her life.
The attackers took away the money, which Ms Mayaka had gotten from the sale of her cow to cater for her medical expenses and divided it amongst themselves.
Then they dragged her to the ground, doused her with petrol, and then set her ablaze.
When he found the four guilty in December 2024, Justice Kiarie termed the attack on the grannies barbaric and added that no human being deserved such treatment.
Justice Kiarie said he was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the four were involved in the heinous killings according to the evidence produced in court.
“When two or more persons form a common intention to prosecute an unlawful purpose in conjunction with one another, and in the prosecution of such purpose an offence is committed of such a nature that its commission was a probable consequence of the prosecution of such purpose, each of them is deemed to have committed the offence,” Justice Kiarie said while referring to section 21 of the Penal Code.
Sixteen suspects had been arraigned in connection with the killings, but 12 were acquitted for lack of sufficient evidence.
Speaking to Nation.Africa after the sentencing, Christopher Mayaka, one of the children of the late Sindege Mayaka, welcomed Justice Kiarie’s judgment and said that his mother’s soul will finally rest in peace.
“We have been satisfied with the judgement and we will follow what the Judge will tell us. My mother’s soul can now rest in peace. I appeal to those who have been released that once they come back to the village, let us all live in peace and harmony and take our country forward,” Mr Mayaka said.
