NYERI, Kenya, Dec 15 — A former police officer who shot dead a man following a fight at a local bar in Nyeri has been sentenced to seven years in jail.
Justice Martin Muya, sitting at the Nyeri High Court, handed the sentence to Chubungu Sanga on Thursday after considering mitigation factors.
“The accused is a first offended and has undergone a traumatic period during the time this matter he was before court, we have also considered the victims report and the traumatic suffering of the victims, but bearing in mind all the mitigating factors I find the sentence of 7 years to be fair,” said Justice Muya.
The court convicted the officer, suspended following the 2015 incident a a local bar in Mukurwe-ini, of manslaughter.
Sanga had been charged with the murder of Kingori Kanyi in 2015 but the charge was reduced to manslaughter after a lengthy court trial.
The prosecution’s case was that Sanga and Kanyi were in pub when they differed and fought while drunk.
Sanga is said to have followed the victim at his home the following day, arrested and shot him dead in the company of another police officer.
In his defence, Sanga told the court that he acted In self-defence after Kanyi emerged from his homestead while armed with a panga.
Kanyi’s family represented by lawyer Edward Mbanya expressed disapproval for the judgement.
