A Rwandan woman who strangled her Kenyan husband to death in Eldoret will serve two years in jail after the murder charge against her was reduced to manslaughter.
Rutundika Nadia was accused of strangling Abbas Abdi during a violent quarrel last year after he declared he would marry another woman.
Justice Hellen Omondi ruled that the mother of one was guilty but said the action was a crime of passion that was not intentional.
She committed the crime on January 19 last year at their Maili Nne Estate house in the outskirts of Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu county.
Nadia had told the court that she had a long-standing dispute with her husband but did not intend to kill him.
“The accused person is a first offender, a mother of one child of tender age and she has demonstrated remorse considering that she has been in custody for almost two years,” Justice Omondi said.
Nadia filed a sworn defence in which she told the court that she was remorseful for the accidental killing and also pleaded for forgiveness from the family of her husband.
However, the deceased's mother Fatuma Abdi said outside the court that the family was unhappy with the ruling and would move to the Court of Appeal. She said the sentence of two years was too lenient.
“We were hoping to get justice for the killing of our son but while we respect the court’s decision,” she said.
“We shall definitely move to the Court Appeal to have the proper sentence given against the accused."
While in court, Fatuma told Justice Omondi that she was not ready to forgive her daughter-in-law until her parents apologise.
“I even don’t know her family because we have never met since my son married her. I only got to know her after being informed that my son had been killed,” Fatuma said.
Edited by R.Wamochie
