Barmaid to serve 30 years in jail for murder of teen

The High Court in Nyeri has sentenced a bar attendant to 30 years in jail for killing a teenager.

Hannah Njeri Munyoroku, who used to run a bar in King’ong’o area, was convicted for murder of 19-year-old Wycliffe Ochieng Okwayo 10 years ago. She was charged that on December 27, 28 in 2009 at King’ong’o Estate, she jointly with others not before court murdered Okwayo.

In his judgement, Justice Jairus Ngaah noted there was no evidence as suggested by Njeri of some unruly mob fatally assaulting the deceased.

“There was also no evidence to prove Njeri was provoked in anyway,” the court in a judgement delivered through video conferencing, observed.

Njeri’s testimony, the court said, that Okwayo threw a Jiko to her to an extent of sustaining injuries was not supported by any evidence.

The judge, noted that Njeri made a report of assault two hours after Okwayo had died as per the police Occurrence Book (OB) at Nyeri police station.

“It’s possible she heard what transpired, she may have made the report to preempt the inevitable charges or to prepare for her defence in the event she was charged,” the judge observed.

“I say so because despite getting a P3 form and being referred to hospital for treatment, she never went but rather proceeded to her place of work where she was arrested,” Ngaah added.

There was no evidence he noted the accused was injured as alleged and neither was there any to suggest she was treated at any hospital.

“Her defence is not enough to displace the overwhelming prosecution evidence against her nor it does not create any reasonable doubt in my mind that she murdered the deceased,” the judge explained.

The court, he added, found and held the view she was guilty of murder as charged and convicted.

In building the case, the prosecution lined up six witness among them a watchman, who was with the deceased. The watchman testified detailing in vivid accounts of what happened on the night of December 27, 2009.

The court, despite several adjournments, could not get the investigating officer to attend the hearings.