KENYA: FOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER MINOR’S MURDER

Four people have been sentenced to death for the murder of an eight-year-old girl in Nairobi’s Kariobangi Estate. 
Elenah Nyambura, Peris Njeri Bundi, Geoffrey Njuguna and Kenneth Muriithi were convicted for the murder of Sheila Wanjiku in August 2009.
They had been charged jointly with another person who was not before the court. 
The deceased was daughter of Eunice Nyawira and Peter Kamau, husband of Elenah Nyambura, the first accused.
According to witness accounts, the househelp at the parents of the deceased’s residence, was attacked at the home by two men she identified as Njuguna and Muriithi and stabbed on the forehead, falling unconscious. 
When she eventually regained consciousness, she found the victim lying lifeless on the floor.
In his ruling, High Court judge Fred Ochieng stated that it was no doubt the child died due to severe loss of blood occasioned by being stabbed 10 times.
Justice Ochieng said in her confession, Elenah had explained she felt her husband loved Sheila more than he loved her son, which prompted her to conceive the idea of eliminating the girl.
“Elena said that she decided that if the baby was killed, her husband would return to living with her,” ruled the judge.  “I find each and every one of the accused persons guilty of the murder of Sheila Wanjiku therefore hereby convict them to the offence of murder,” he ruled.