Five men sentenced to death for killing elderly woman over witchcraft claims

Nakuru, Kenya: Five men have been sentenced to death after they were found guilty of brutally killing an elderly woman over claims of witchcraft.

The five were accused of killing Ann Wanjiku five years ago at Kisumu Ndogo village in Kipipiri District in Central Province over allegations she was practicing witchcraft.

The court was told that Anthony Macharia, Simon Njuguna, John Karia, John Nganga and Peter Matheri,, stormed the home of the deceased and beat her up before dragging her away while still alive.

At the time, the deceased was at home with her sister, Damaris Muthoni, who later told Justice Roselyne Wendo in Nakuru high court, that her pleas to the assailants to take her sister to police station fell on deaf ears.
Muthoni said she was also beaten when she tried to intervene.

Grace Nyambura, a niece to the deceased, said that she received a phone call that the deceased was seriously injured. She rushed to where she had been abandoned and took her to Naivasha District hospital where she passed on.

Nyambura told Justice Wendo that the deceased suffered injuries on her face and head.

In the judgement read by Justice Maureen Odero Friday, the judge ruled that the circumstances under which the deceased met her death pointed to the guilt caused by the accused persons, who assaulted her on suspicion of being a witch.

Presiding Judge further noted that there was no shred of evidence that the deceased practiced witchcraft, which was the main reason why the accused persons beat her up.

"In any event, they could have taken her to a police station instead of taking the matter in their own hands. The injuries inflicted on the deceased are evidence of forethought," court ruled.

The court reminded the convicts of right to appeal the sentence before 14 days elapsed.