A middle aged man has been jailed for 12 years by the High Court in Homabay
after he was found guilty of killing his wife when they disagreed over Sh 8, 000.
The accused Albert Odhiambo Odongo committed the offence on June 7, 2015 at Kotieno
Village, Kasimba Sub Location in Rachuonyo South Sub County with others not before the court, he killed his
wife Eunice AtienoOlal.
Particulars indicated Odongo killed his wife after a disagreement ensued
between them over Sh8, 000 which he accused the deceased of stealing.
The court heard that after the disagreement, Odongo left home for an
alcohol den. He later returned home with two men with whom they jointly assaulted Eunice and killed her on the spot.
One of the witnesses EverlineAkoth testified that Odongo and his group also assaulted her when she tried to intervene to stop them assaulting Eunice.
When Akoth had been beaten, one of the assailants suggested that she be taken to Eunice’s house where her body was lying.
“But the following day, I was informed that Eunice had died,” said Akoth.
Prosecutor Valerie Ongeti told the court that Odongo lied to the police that his wife had been killed by unknown criminals.
“A report from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations indicates that Odongo lied to police yet he and his accomplices had killed his wife in the bedroom,” said Ongeti.
However, the case was later reduced from murder to manslaughter after the court ruled that he did not intend to kill her. Four witnesses testified in the case.
Odongo denied the charges but Homa Bay High Court Judge JosephKaranja said the evidence adduced by the witnesses was adequate to prove that he had committed the offence.
“You have been sentenced accordingly but you have 14 days to appeal,” Justice Karanja said.
However, the convict pleaded for leniency on grounds that he married another wife after Eunice’s death and that the deceased left him with children after they disagreed.
“I plead for leniency because I am the one who is taking care of my children because their mother disappeared after we disagreed,” Odongosaid.
But he was taken to Homa Bay Prison for detention.
By Martin Shikuku and Davis Langat
