Court Hands Death Sentence to Two Men in Robbery with Violence Case

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has secured a death sentence against two men convicted of violently robbing a woman in Meru County.

Douglas Muriithi and Antony Mugendi were found guilty of robbery with violence after stealing Ksh 5,700 in cash, 87 kilograms of sugar valued at Ksh 13,050, and 17 kilograms of onions valued at Ksh 850, totaling Ksh 19,600.

The court heard that the incident occurred on the night of September 6, 2024, at around 11:40 p.m. in Maua Location, Igembe South Sub-County.

The two attackers, armed with dangerous weapons including pangas, metal rods, and timber frames, accosted the victim, identified as Janice Gacheri, and robbed her of the items.

During the attack, the court established that the victim was also injured, further aggravating the offence.

The court held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, leading to the conviction and subsequent sentencing of the two offenders to death.

The case was prosecuted by Kelvin Gitonga.

DPP Secures 45-Imprisonment Sentence

In another case, the DPP has secured a 45-year custodial sentence against a 23-year-old man convicted of brutally murdering his younger brother and a nephew using crude weapons in Kisumu County.

The High Court sitting in Kisumu convicted and sentenced Arnold Ochieng Omollo on a plea of guilty of his own volition to two counts of murder, having been cautioned several times regarding the maximum penalties for the offence of murder.

Arnold Ochieng Omollo was charged with two counts of murder contrary to Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code.

The court heard that between 25th and 26th November 2024, Arnold Ochieng Omollo killed the two children, both below the age of ten, while they were sleeping in a brutal and premeditated manner, using crude weapons at Kamango Village in Awach Sublocation, Nyakach Subcounty, Kisumu County.

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Postmortem Examination

The postmortem examination conducted on the two bodies determined that the two died from severe head injuries due to penetrating brain cuts.

The injuries are linked to the suspected murder weapons recovered from the scene, including a metallic hoe and a wooden hoe handle.

The prosecution counsel, Mercy Muema, submitted that the accused killed Aaron Smith Omollo (brother) and Jayson Havi (nephew), both minors who were vulnerable and unable to defend themselves, and hence urged the court to impose a stiff punishment.

The prosecution further submitted that the accused person, who had the responsibility to care for the two children, violated the fundamental right to life, and that there was no provocation of any kind, and that the accused did not show any remorse after killing.

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Hon. Joe M. Omido sentenced the accused to 45 years imprisonment on each count, effective from 18th December, 2024, when he first appeared in court.

The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently, as the offences were committed in the same transaction and constitute a single course of conduct.

During sentencing, the court noted that the prosecution presented compelling evidence, particularly the production of the exhibits recovered from the scene of the crime that were relevant to the case.

According to the judge, the sentences imposed reflect the need to uphold the sanctity of life and the seriousness of killing minors under one’s care. He noted that the sentence also serves as a deterrent to similar offences in society.

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