I deeply regret what happened –Stevo Munyakho

Steve Munyakho, the Kenyan man who spent 14 years imprisoned in Saudi Arabia, has publicly devolved into his ordeal, for the first time since his release and return to Kenya.

In an interview with Citizen TV aired on Wednesday night, Stevo expressed remorse over the events that led to his incarceration and shared reflections on his spiritual transformation while behind bars.

“This tragedy that happened was something that I cannot tell how it came about because Abdul Halim was a good friend of mine, and we used to work together at the restaurant in the accounting department; I was the warehouse manager, and he was dealing with petty cash,” he disclosed.

“Whatever transpired thereafter is really something that hurt me so much because I never thought that somebody could die from my hands.

Stevo was convicted in 2011 for the death of his Yemeni colleague, Abdul Halim Mujahid Makrad Saleh, following a workplace altercation.

Stevo was injured and later taken to the hospital by police officers, before being charged in a court of law.

Initially sentenced to five years for manslaughter, the charge was later elevated to murder under Sharia law, and he was placed on death row.

His execution was postponed multiple times as diplomatic and religious efforts intensified to save his life.

In March 2025, a turning point came when the family of the deceased accepted diya, blood money, amounting to $1 million (approximately Sh129 million).

The funds were mobilised through the intervention of Kenya’s Muslim community, the government and the Muslim World League.

He was officially released on July 22, 2025, and performed Umrah before flying home.

He arrived in Nairobi in the early morning hours of July 29, to an emotional welcome by his family, supporters and government officials.

During the interview on Wednesday, Stevo described daily life in Saudi’s Shimeisi Prison, a facility designated for foreigners:

“You wake up, you pray, you sleep, you eat… If there is an open area, you do your press-ups. That is the day. No books, no nothing. If you are a fan of TV, you will watch TV. Otherwise, nothing,” he said.

While in prison, Stevo converted to Islam in 2012, a year after his death sentence.

He recalled the pivotal moment when a prison officer approached him and shared words that would shape his outlook.

“This imprisonment of yours was written for you even before you came from your mother’s womb… It’s a decree from the Lord himself,” the officer had told him.

The officer gave him Islamic literature in English, which Munyakho said sparked a journey of spiritual discovery and understanding of Sharia law.

He said he realised that his sentence was not just a legal matter, but also a test of faith and endurance.

Over time, the phrase “Kwa Wakati Wake” ("In His Time") became his personal mantra.

He also reflected on how his experience with the phrase Inshallah (God willing) changed over time.

Initially, he felt misled by false promises, but later came to appreciate its true spiritual weight.

“I believed in him, but he never did what he was supposed to do… Then I later learned that Inshallah indeed is Allah’s will. When He wills, He wants that time, you know… So that’s why I came up with Kwa Wakati Wake,” he said.

Munyakho thanked Allah for the gift of a new life and expressed hope for the future, “I thank Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala for the gift of new life again, and we’ll pick it from there.”