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Kenyan Court hands Naftali Kinuthia 40 years in prison for the Murder of ‘ex-lover’ Ivy Wangeci

Naftali Kinuthia has received a 40-year prison sentence for the killing of medical student Ivy Wangeci in Eldoret four years ago. Justice Stephen Githinji deemed the crime brutal and advocated for a severe sentence for the accused. The judge acknowledged the loss of an innocent life but also took into account pleas from the accused’s lawyer, Mathenge Wokabi, and the victim’s legal representatives.

The attorneys representing the victim and the state had requested the death penalty, but Githinji stated that the court couldn’t endorse a “tooth for a tooth” approach in its judgment.

Kinuthia, in an earlier plea, had sought a non-custodial sentence, expressing hope for a second chance in life.

Lawyer Wakabi passionately appealed for leniency before Justice Githinji delivered the verdict.

In the previous month, Githinji had declared Kinuthia guilty of Wangeci’s murder.

“Your honour we plead for a non-custodial sentence to give the accused a second chance in life so that he can re-integrate with his family and society and make out of his educational skills,” Wokabi said.

“Although Kinuthia may not have expressed remorse at an early stage, he did so during his defense.”

Wokabi pleaded that the accused hadn’t tampered with witnesses or engaged with the deceased’s family. He highlighted the longstanding relationship between the families of the accused and the deceased, urging the court to take into account their positive history.

He emphasized that the sentencing should not serve as an act of vengeance and acknowledged that, despite the accused’s remorse, it wouldn’t bring back the life of the deceased.

In his previous ruling last month, Githinji affirmed that the prosecution had convincingly proven the charge of murder, resulting in the accused’s conviction.

The judge dismissed Kinuthia’s defense, where he argued that he was provoked after Ivy terminated their romantic relationship and pursued another man.

The accused asserted that his case was a matter of provocation and a heat of passion, but the judge rejected this claim.

The judge observed that, despite Kinuthia’s claim of an intimate relationship, there was no supporting evidence.

“Even text messages reviewed did not prove evidence of an intimate relationship, and the accused did not also prove a sexual relationship with the deceased,” Judge Githinji said.

He stated that Ivy and Kinuthia were not married but just old friends.

The judge observed that the accused used a lethal weapon, an axe, and hit the deceased several times, leaving her with no chance of survival.

“If he did not want to kill her, he would have used bare fists on her and not the axe,” Githinji said.

The judge remarked that claims of provocation by Kinuthia were not true.

Kinuthia followed the proceedings virtually from the Eldoret GK prison.

 

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