Kenya: Life Sentence for Post- Election Violence Suspect

The High Court in Nakuru has jailed a 24-year-old man for life over the deadly post election violence of 2008.

In a landmark ruling, Lady Justice Roselyn Wendoh sentenced Peter Kipkemboi Ruto for life for the murder of mzee Kamau Kimani on January 1, 2008.

She ruled that the prosecution was able to convince the court that Ruto, together with his accomplices, stole livestock and burnt the old man's houses.

Justice Wendoh said the accused was properly identified since the raids were conducted in broad daylight.

"Ruto was known to the prosecution witnesses because they have lived together as neighbours for long," said justice Wendoh.

The Director of Public Prosecutions in February stepped in to fast track cases involving the 2008 post election violence, four years down the line.

The DPP named a 20-member multi-agency taskforce to audit all ongoing investigations and the progress of the cases that are currently before courts in the country headed by Senior Deputy Prosecution Counsel Dorcas Oduor.

"The team was mandated to undertake a countrywide review and evaluation of all post election-related cases pending under investigations and those under trial," a statement by Keriako Tobiko stated.

It was also to review any report, publication and judicial decisions relevant to post election violence with a view to ascertaining whether additional suspects should be investigated.

Members of the team are drawn from the DPP's office, the police, the Justice Ministry as well as from the AG's chambers. Officials from the Witness Protection Agency are also represented.

The DPP's office is represented by Zachary Omwenga, Alexander Muteti, Peter Kiprop, Geoffrey Obiri, Benjamin Limo, Mary Wang'ele, Catherine Kithikii and Terru Kahoro while the AG's office is represented by Joseph King'agrui and James Maringa while the ministry of justice has Emily Chweya and Sebastian Mutinda.

The head of investigations at the CID Mohamed Amin and Lillian Kiamba also from the CID represents the police.

The Witness Protection Agency nominated Lillian Obuo and Armstrong Shikuku to sit in the committee whose secretariat will include Lucy Muhuni, Victoria Njoha, Martin Kiogora, Isaac Bwogo and Moses Cheche.

The team was supposed to come up with a report to guide any police investigations into the more than 5,000 cases that Attorney General Githu Muigai announced are still pending under investigation.

 

Capital FM

The High Court in Nakuru has jailed a 24-year-old man for life over the deadly post election violence of 2008

Justice Wendoh said the accused was properly identified since the raids were conducted in broad daylight.

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