Man Jailed 40 Years After Claiming ‘Bad Blood Curse’ Drove Him to Kill His Employer

A 36-year-old herdsman has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after he was found guilty of murdering his employer in Moiben Sub-County, Uasin Gishu County.

Justice Reuben Nyakundi delivered the judgment at the Eldoret High Court and found Silas Sang guilty of killing his employer, Hellen Biwott.

The court heard that the incident occurred on the morning of April 22, 2022, at Kabenes area in Moiben Sub-County.

Biwott, aged 72, was a small-scale dairy and maize farmer in Uasin Gishu County.

Brutal Attack Inside Victim’s Home

According to evidence presented in court, the prosecution established beyond reasonable doubt that Sang carried out the fatal attack inside the victim’s house.

He was said to have slammed the elderly woman’s head against a wall before stabbing her in the neck with a knife, killing her on the spot.

After realizing what he had done, Sang fled the scene on foot and boarded a matatu heading to Eldoret town.

He later transferred to another public service vehicle and travelled to Matete shopping centre in Kakamega County in an attempt to evade arrest.

Police officers attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations eventually tracked him down and arrested him at Ainabtich Police Station in Eldoret after he had spent seven days in hiding.

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Claim of Family Curse During Mitigation

During mitigation, Sang pleaded with the court to show mercy, claiming he had been driven to commit the crime by what he described as a generational curse affecting his family.

“I really regret this issue. We have a history of curses in our family where my father killed a child in Narok county and died in prison,” he told the court.

He further claimed that another relative had also died in prison after being convicted of murder, insisting that the same fate had followed him.

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Sang maintained that he was remorseful and appealed for leniency from the court.

“I really regret this issue,” he repeated, adding that he hoped the court would consider his prayers for mercy due to what he termed as the “bad blood of curse thriving in their family.”

Judge Says Crime Deserved Severe Punishment

In his ruling, Justice Nyakundi noted that the offence was grave and deserved a harsh sentence.

“I would have sentenced you to life imprisonment, but I now sentence you to 40 years in prison,” the judge ruled.

The court observed that the nature of the killing, coupled with the attempt to flee, justified a lengthy custodial sentence despite the convict’s plea for leniency.

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Eldoret High Court, where Justice Reuben Nyakundi delivered the judgment and found Silas Sang guilty of killing his employer, Hellen Biwott. PHOTO/EHC.