Killers of Tharaka Nithi chief jailed for 30 years
The nine suspects in the murder of Kamaindi chief Japheth Mayau Mukengu at the Chuka High Court on May 23, 2019.
What you need to know:
- Mukengu was murdered in April 2019 and his body set ablaze.
- Chuka OCS Joseph Kinyua was also killed while chasing a suspect in Ugweri in neighbouring Embu.
Nine people accused of killing Kamaindi chief Japheth Majau Mukengu in Tharaka Nithi district will each serve 30 years in prison.
The sentence, handed down by Justice Lucy Gitari on Thursday, will take into account the three years they have spent on remand.
She said giving them different sentences would amount to discrimination since they were equally involved in the heinous act.
Mukengu was murdered in April 2019 and his body set ablaze.
Chuka OCS Joseph Kinyua was also killed while chasing a suspect in Ugweri in neighbouring Embu.
The nine have 14 days to appeal the sentence.
The convicts - Gerald Njeru Kibau, Julius Mburu Kinanga, Leah Muthoni Ngige, Cecilia Kambura, Julius Njeru, Jediel Munyua, Tom Kinyua, John Nthiga and Jornard Njagi Kibiube - were found guilty of murder.
The murder took place at the home of the chief's brother, Gikware Mukengu, in Kamaindi Location, following a dispute over four goats that had trespassed on his farm.
On Tuesday, the court heard a report from the Probation Department on the nine accused persons and the response of the State's lawyer, Ms Felister Njeru, who urged the court to sentence the accused to heavy imprisonment commensurate with the heinous act.
In his detailed and passionate plea, the accused's lawyer, Mr Mark Ashaba, pleaded with the court to consider that the nine are first-time offenders and all of them are remorseful for what happened.
He added that most of them are sickly senior citizens, with the eldest being 81 years old and four others over 60, with large families to look after.
He added that the defendants were arrested peacefully at their homes, while others surrendered at police stations and cooperated with the authorities even while attending court sessions from outside.
"I am asking the court to consider giving my clients a non-custodial sentence or a mixture of custodial and non-custodial sentences because some of them are old and sickly," Ashaba said.
Ashaba added that the nine are family members and there are two couples and if a custodial sentence is given, the families will be destroyed.
"After listening to the report of the provision officer, the reaction of the prosecutor and the mitigation of the defence lawyer, I need time to write the sentence which I will read on Thursday this week at 11am," said Judge Lucy Gitari.
The chief's murder also led to the killing of OCS Kinyua, which shocked the country.
Kinyua was hacked to death with an axe by some suspects, including David Ikaba, a butcher who was also shot dead. The OCS murder case is also in court in Embu County.
