- The prosecution explained how Robert Tonui killed his wife, who was a deputy head teacher, in October 2020
- Judge Julius Ng’arng’ar explained the reasons for sentencing the father to 40 years in prison despite his defense
- Tonui’s daughter and relatives of the deceased expressed their opinion about the sentence that was awaited for a long time since the incident
Bomet: A 55-year-old man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for brutally killing his wife in the Konoin area on the night of October 7, 2020.
Source: Youtube
The prosecution alleged that Robert Kipkorir Tonui carefully planned and executed the murder by dousing his wife, Emmy Chepkoech Mitei, with petrol and setting her on fire.
Why was Robert Tonui sentenced to 40 years?
At the time of sentencing, the High Court Judge of Bomet Julius Ng’arng’ar rejected Tonui’s claims that he had no intention of committing the crime and that the prosecution did not present sufficient evidence.
Ng’arng’ar confirmed that the prosecution proved beyond any doubt that Tonui was guilty of murder under Article 203 of the Penal Code.
The court concluded that Tonui should have known that setting fire to his wife, who was also a deputy head teacher, would lead to her death, and that his actions clearly showed intent to kill her.
“It is the opinion of this court that the defendant should have known that setting the deceased on fire would lead to fatal injuries. His act of pouring gasoline on the deceased and lighting a match had the intention of harming the victim,” the court said.
Source: Youtube
What did Tonui’s family say about the sentence?
The verdict was received with congratulations from the family of the deceased, who described the decision as a long-awaited justice following a tragic event.
“I think that was fair. Although we are still in grief and shaken by the circumstances of our mother’s death, this sentence has given us some peace,” said Tonui’s daughter, Anita Chelangat.
The sister of the deceased, Naomi Mitei, expressed feelings of relief, saying that the decision ended a five-year painful journey to seek justice for their loved one.
“It has been a difficult five years – of emotional and financial exhaustion, especially for the children. We thank God that today, this chapter is officially closed,” he said.
2 former police officers are convicted of murder
Elsewhere, two former police officers, Emmanuel Barasa and Godwine Wekesa, were each sentenced to 35 years in prison for killing Dennis Lusava at Mbururu Police Station in Likuyani, Kakamega County.
Lusava was last seen in their custody before his body was found in the Nzoia River.
The court heard that the officers dragged him to the station a few days after the public row, where they handcuffed him and severely beat him.
When his mother found him seriously injured, she was denied the right to take her son without paying KSh 2,000.
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