Man gets 20 years in jail for killing wife

A man who poured petrol on his wife and set her ablaze seven years ago, leading to her death, over alleged suspected adultery, has been sentenced to 20 years in jail.

A Nakuru High Court sentenced Benard Mwangi for the brutal attack that claimed the life of his wife, Lucy Ndungu, on October 4, 2019, in the Kiratina area, Nakuru County.

Justice Samwel Mohochi found Mwangi guilty of manslaughter, initially charged with murder.

"This Court is thus unable to discern the chain of events leading to the accused dousing the deceased in fire while she was seated, and that a person with malice aforethought would not take any steps to ensure the victim survives," the judge said.

The judge observed that Mwangi, after committing the act, took his wife to the hospital, where she was admitted.

Mwangi allegedly had sent his wife with Sh9,600 to get second-hand clothes in Nairobi, but the woman took three days, agitated and suspecting infidelity, he doused petrol on her.

The woman succumbed to the burn injuries two days after admission.

Dr Titus Ngulungu, a pathologist who performed the postmortem, said Lucy had burns on the head, chest, both hands, swollen lungs, and trachea, and that the cause of death was 30 per cent infected burns.

A pre-sentencing report indicated that Mwangi is unwanted by his family, Lucy's, and the community.

The court said to have taken into consideration the aggravating circumstances in that the convict caused the death of his wife, who left behind three young children.

"I hereby exercise discretion and sentence Mwangi to serve 20 years in jail. The accused has spent nearly six years in prison remand, which period shall be considered as provided for in the provision to Section 333(2) of the criminal procedure code," Mohochi said.