The main suspect in the gruesome murder of Moi University student Ivy Wangechi has been sentenced to jail for 40 years.
Naftlali Kinuthia was found guilty of murdering Wangeci after their love turned sour.
The incident occurred on April 9, 2019 in broad daylight. Kinuthia, a n IT expert who was based in Thika attacked Wangeci outside Moi Teaching and Referal Hospital in Elodret at around 10.30 am.
Kinuthia is said to have hacked Wangeci, who was 25-years old then, with an axe, twice on her head.
The accused had earlier confessed to murdering Wangeci due to anger. In his confession, he said that he was mad after seeing Wangeci embracing another man, a move that prompted him to hack her to death.
“On the fateful morning, I saw my lover hugging another I cannot even tell the moment that I decided to pick an axe in my car that I had packed near the emergency department of MTRH. I was not myself.”
“I forever regret the death of Ivy. She was innocent. There are so many ways we could have resolved our differences. I was not happy when the deceased told me, through her close friend, that she did not love me because I was too short,” he said.
In his ruling, Justice Reuben Githinji noted that the prosecution had beyond any measurable doubts proved Kinuthia’s offense.
Githinji observed that Kinuthia had subjected Wangeci to a painful death and he deserved a death sentence but the Kenyan law no longer allows that, therefore sentencing him 40-years in prison.