Kenya
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Abolitionist de facto
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Murder, treason and armed robbery are capital crimes
- News items in the archive
- 328
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Kenya is classified as Abolitionist de facto in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 328 news items on Kenya, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
OCTOBER 25, 2019KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR THEFT OF MOTORBIKE, MOBILE PHONE AND SH250
A man who robbed a boda boda rider of his motorbike, mobile phone and Sh250, was sentenced to death on 24 October 2019 by a court in Isiolo.
AUGUST 8, 2019KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ROBBERY AND KIDNAPPING
Two people who robbed and consequently kidnapped a neuro surgeon with the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital have been sentenced to death by an Iten court, KNA reported on 29 July 2019.
JULY 23, 2019KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING DIVORCED WOMAN WHO REJECTED HIM
A 34-year-old man has been sentenced to death for killing a woman who turned down his advances for a love relationship after separating from her husband, Nairobinews reported on 19 July 2019.
JULY 11, 2019KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: SEVEN MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER MURDER OF TWO FISHERMEN
A court has upheld a death sentence imposed on seven men who murdered two fishermen on Lake Victoria.
- MAY 28, 2019KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: PRISON WARDER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR PUMPING LOVER WITH BULLETS
An ex-prison warder at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison, Patrick Daniel Lesadala, will face the death penalty for the murder of his girlfriend, Diana Karambu Nthiba.
MAY 16, 2019KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: KIRINYAGA HANDS DEATH SENTENCE TO BRAZEN KILLERS
A Kerugoya Court has handed a death sentence to two men who killed two people and maimed one in a robbery incident that ended up being kidnapping.
MARCH 13, 2019KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: TWO ON DEATH ROW FREED AFTER 17 YEARS IN PRISON
Two former employees of a former prominent Nakuru businessman Said Abdalla Azubedi who were sentenced to death for robbing him have been finally freed after spending 17 years in jail, the Daily Nation reported on 12 March 2019.
- FEBRUARY 15, 2019KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: COURT SENTENCES POLICE OFFICER TO DEATH FOR KILLING DETAINEE
A Kenyan court on 14 February 2019 sentenced a former senior police officer to death for killing a detainee in his custody.
FEBRUARY 14, 2019KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: WOMAN, 5 RELATIVES TO HANG FOR KILLING HER HUSBAND
The Court of Appeal on 12 February 2019 turned down an appeal by a woman and her five relatives who were sentenced to death for killing her husband in Kiambu in 2004.
- JANUARY 22, 2019KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR STEALING 12 SHEEP
A 30-year-old man was sentenced to death by a Narok Court on 17 Janunary 2019 after he was found guilty of robbery with violence.
- JANUARY 1, 2019KenyaDEATH PENALTY
the mandatory death sentence is no longer lawful in Kenya
the mandatory death sentence is no longer lawful in Kenya
DECEMBER 17, 2018KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: COURTS TO REVIEW OVER 400 DEATH SENTENCES IN 2019
At least 400 inmates have applied for a review of their death sentences since the Supreme Court did away with the penalty in December last year, Chief Justice David Maraga said on 16 December 2018.
- NOVEMBER 21, 2018KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: TWO POLICE OFFICERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
A Kenyan judge on 14 November 2018 sentenced two police officers to death for killing a colleague and two civilians in 2014.
NOVEMBER 12, 2018KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: 2 BODA BODA RIDERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR STEALING LAPTOP
Two boda boda riders were sentenced to death on 10 November 2018 for stealing a laptop after losing an appeal in a high court.
- OCTOBER 29, 2018KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: GARDENER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING JACOBUS VAN DER GOES
A gardener was sentenced to death on 26 October 2018 for the murder of Dutch national Jacobus Van Der Goes at his residence in Nyali, Mombasa County.
OCTOBER 1, 2018KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: AL SHABAAB YOUTHS GET STATE AMNESTY
The government offered on September 27, 2018 a three-month amnesty to youths in Northeastern who have joined al Shabaab to surrender.
AUGUST 2, 2018KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR WITHDRAWING MONEY FROM DEAD WOMAN’S PHONE
An act of withdrawing Sh 26,600 from a deceased model's Mpesa account has handed a 34 year old man a death sentence at the Mombasa law court.
JULY 19, 2018KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: WOMAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR KILLING HER BOYFRIEND
A 24-year-old woman in Kenya has been convicted and sentenced to death for killing her boyfriend.
JULY 10, 2018KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR HERDSMAN WHO KILLED EMPLOYER IN 2016
A herdsman who hacked his employer to death in Ziwa, Uasin Gishu county, has been sentenced to death by an Eldoret court.
FEBRUARY 21, 2018KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING HIS STEP BROTHER
A quarry worker was sentenced to death for killing his stepbrother nine years ago. Patrick Muiru killed Joseph over a grudge with his stepmother on April 27, 2009, in Kangoo village, Thika town.
- JANUARY 1, 2018KenyaDEATH PENALTY
the mandatory death sentence is no longer lawful in Kenya
the mandatory death sentence is no longer lawful in Kenya
DECEMBER 14, 2017KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: MANDATORY DEATH SENTENCE NOW UNCONSTITUTIONAL
Mandatory death sentence is no longer lawful in Kenya. This is after the Supreme Court on December 14 declared Section 204 of the Penal Code, which stipulates mandatory death sentence, as unconstitutional.
DECEMBER 5, 2017KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE
An Eldoret court sentenced to death a 24-year-old man after he was found guilty of robbery with violence.
- OCTOBER 10, 2017KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: STUDENT SENTENCED TO HANG FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING SH500
A student who robbed a fellow student and his cousin at knife-point has been sentenced to death.
- OCTOBER 10, 2017KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: KAMITI PRISONERS WANT SUPREME COURT TO REMOVE DEATH PENALTY
Inmates at the Kamiti Maximum Prison called on the Supreme Court to rule on the petition seeking determination of the constitutionality of the death sentence.
- JULY 20, 2017KenyaDEATH PENALTY
3 Kenya men sentenced to death for stripping, abusing woman
20 July 2017: a Kenyan court sentenced three men to death for stripping naked and abusing a woman during a wave of attacks by mobs claiming that women were inappropriately dressed.
- MAY 24, 2017KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: ITEN MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER, ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE
A man was sentenced to death by an Iten court after he was found guilty of murder and robbery with violence.
- MAY 16, 2017KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE LANDS MAN DEATH SENTENCE
A Nakuru court sentenced to death 29-year-old man for robbing his neighbour Sh350 while armed with dangerous weapons.
- APRIL 13, 2017KenyaDEATH PENALTY
10 KENYANS WHO MURDERED MILITARY MAN SENTENCED TO HANG
10 Kenyan men have been sentenced to death for killing a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer and two other people in 2013 in Migori County.
- MARCH 8, 2017KenyaDEATH PENALTY
Kenya: Mechanic sentenced to death for robbing woman 3 phones worth Sh21,000
8 March 2017: a 22-year-old mechanic was sentenced to death by a Kibera court for robbing a woman at her house in Kaberia, Riruta.