Three men and a minor, convicted for the brutal murder of four elderly women in Marani, Kisii County, four years prior, have received a combined sentence of 135 years in prison.
Nyakundi Amos Ondieki, Evans Ogeto Okari, Hesbon Ong’ondi Gichana, and Chrispine Makworo perpetrated the crime on October 17, 2021, as part of a mob that lynched the elderly women—Jemima Miranga, 60, Agnes Ototo, 57, Sigara Onkware, 62, and Sindege Mayaka—based on accusations of witchcraft.
In a ruling delivered on Wednesday by High Court Judge Waweru Kiarie, Ondieki, Okari, and Gichana each received a 40-year prison sentence, while Makworo, being a minor at the time of the incident, was sentenced to 15 years.
Following the verdict, families of the victims and human rights organizations expressed their approval of the decision.
“I am satisfied with today’s ruling. The families affected have endured significant hardship,” stated Bosire Mayaka, son of the late Sindege Mayaka.
“As advocates for human rights, we welcome this verdict; justice has been achieved. This should serve as a deterrent to those who take the law into their own hands,” remarked Hellen Kiriama, a representative of the Utu Organisation.
Conversely, the convicts expressed their disagreement with the ruling, and their families voiced disappointment, claiming the outcome was not what they had anticipated.
“I am not satisfied with the ruling. Out of more than 250 individuals, they chose to imprison these four,” lamented Christine Ondieki, mother of Amos Ondieki.
The families of the convicts are now considering the possibility of an appeal.
