A woman will serve 25 years in jail for murdering her husband.
Maureen Chemutai Ongeri, 29, stabbed John Openda, 30, in the chest with a kitchen knife on May 8, last year.
The two had quarreled over alleged infidelity. The incident occurred at their Kasagam home in Kisumu East.
Chemutai broke down after Kisumu Principal Magistrate Joan Wambilyanga sentenced her yesterday after she was found guilty of manslaughter.
Despite Chemutai’s pleas for leniency, the magistrate said whereas the murder might not have been premeditated, the offence was heinous and warranted the sentence handed to her.
“Following the seriousness of the offence, I, under Section 202 as read with Section 205, find the accused guilty deserving a jail sentence of 25 years,” said Mr Wambilyanga.
The magistrate said Chemutai beat up Openda before knifing him.
Stab wounds
Medical reports presented before court showed the victim suffered stab wounds. Several witnesses also testified against the woman.
A report of a postmortem examination done on May 10, last year showed Openda had a stab wound on the left side of his chest. It showed the knife penetrated to the 11th rib, leaving him with a serious wound.
The victim was taken to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, where he died. Witnesses said while the couple would disagree, they never fought physically.
Chemutai said conflicts resulted from her husband’s inability to fend for the family. They had two children aged three and nine.
She claimed Openda, who was a night guard, turned aggressive when she asked him to provide for the family.
Witnesses drawn from the man’s family said claims of infidelity by the woman led to the conflicts.
