A woman accused of strangling her husband to death during a fight has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Maureen Chebet was convicted after she admitted to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
She was accused of killing Elias Kipchirchir Yego by strangulation on February 17, 2018, in Kapsabet, Nandi county.
In a judgment delivered by justice Reuben Nyakundi on February 3, the court considered the accused's admission of guilt, sentencing her to 15 years.
But the court noted that the accused was in custody from March 8, 2018, to date. The court could deduct three years and 10 months spent in pre-trial custody in accordance with Section 333(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
He said the offence was great and there could be no mitigating factors, so he only reduced the sentenced to 14 years.
She said there could be no aggravating factors that outweigh any mitigation and sentenced her to 14 years.
Chebet entered into a plea bargain agreement dated February 2, 2020.
The plea bargain agreement recommended she be charged with manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years.
The court heard that Chebet was cohabiting with the victim and their quarrels often attracted the attention of neighbours.
On the day of he quarrel, the two had struggled and the accused strangled him to death.
In mitigation, Chebet said she was remorseful and a mother of four, including one child sired by the man she would later kill.
“This court finds that the accused must be made to take full responsibility for her actions. The accused must learn how to tame her emotions to avoid inflicting harm on others,” the judge said.
(Edited by V. Graham)
