A court in Kirinyaga has handed life sentences to four men who were charged with robbery with violence.
Wang'uru senior principal magistrate Gerald Mutiso on Wednesday ruled that he was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the four deserved the capital punishment for carrying out a robbery with violence, an act that resulted in the death of two people and grievous injuries on two other individuals.
The four—Isaak Kariuki Ndambiri, Kennedy Gachoki Kanguru, James Gitonga Wawira and Christopher Bundi Mbogo—were charged that on July 1, 2018 in Ndindiruku village in Mwea East, jointly with others not before court, while armed with AK 47 guns, shot dead Margret Wanjiku and Stephen Muriithi and at the same time robbed Wanjiku of some Sh200,000.
The court was told that during the incident, the accused shot and inflicted serious injuries on James Kimani and Kelly Nyawira.
The attack is said to have had adverse effects on the lives of the two victims who now can not fend for themselves.
Robert Mwangi, Wanjiku’s husband and a brother to Kimani, appealed to the court to deliver justice saying besides his liquor business collapsing, he was also left with an infant after the death of Wanjiku.
Mwangi said continuous caring for the child means he cannot carry out any meaningful income-generating activity.
Through their counsel Nduku Njuki, the accused in their defence told the court that they are still innocent, adding that police should hunt down the real culprits and produce them in court.
However, the magistrate dismissed their defence and noted that the four deserved the heavy punishment.
The magistrate also regretted that they showed no remorse despite committing such serious crimes.
The four according to prosecutor Regina Akhalai are first-time offenders and have no previous crime record and thus were given the right to appeal within 14 days.
-Edited by SKanyara
