NAKURU, Kenya, Jun 25 – A man who killed his ex-girlfriend’s new lover two years ago has been jailed for 20 years by a Nakuru court.
Gerald Irungu, 25, will serve the sentence without parole for the killing of John Waweru Nguya on September 24, 2010 in Gekare village, Kwanuthu farm in Gilgil.
Irungu’s former girlfriend Salome Wanjohi Mburu told the court that she had a relationship with Irungu for two years until August 2010, when they disagreed and she warned him not to visit her home again.
But an enraged Irungu vowed that he would beat up any man who goes out with Salome, she added.
She told Justice Anyara Emukule that on the fateful day she heard screams at around 8pm outside her house. Upon checking, she found the accused beating the deceased with a handle of a ‘jembe’ (hoe).
Her evidence was corroborated by one Kinyanjui Mburu who told the court he found Salome trying to prevent the accused from beating up Nguya. Mburu added that the deceased was lying on the ground and was complaining of head injuries.
Mburu further told the court the deceased was taken to Gilgil district hospital where he was treated and discharged but later died after he developed breathing problems.
In his defence, Irungu told the court he found the deceased at Salome’s house and upon challenging him a disagreement arose. He told the court he hit the deceased on the head and legs.
Justice Emukule noted in his ruling that the accused was indeed a lover of Salome but had parted ways after he was accused of cheating.
He also noted that the accused was following Salome’s movement on the fateful day and later went to her home in the pretext of delivering a handle of the ‘jembe’.
Justice Emukule added that the doctor’s report showed that the deceased suffered multiple injuries on the head and legs which were not inflicted by one hit on the legs or head as the accused had alleged.
He concluded that the accused had maliciously attacked the deceased with intention of not merely causing grievous harm but death, and sentenced him to 20 years in jail without parole.
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