High Court convicts three in 2018 murder of businessman

The High Court in Mombasa has found three men guilty of murdering businessman Isaac Kassim Jiraw by strangling him and later pouring acid on his body in an attempt to conceal evidence.

Justice Wendy Micheni ruled that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Eddlied Mandi Jilani, Charo Karisa and Makonde Ruwa were responsible for the murder, which occurred on March 18, 2018, in Lango Baya Forest, Kilifi County.

The court heard that the killing stemmed from a fraudulent scheme in which the first accused allegedly obtained more than Sh1.9 million from the Jiraw after promising to secure him a chief officer position in the Kilifi county government as well as government contracts.

Although Jiraw was interviewed for the chief officer position in the Department of Devolution, he was unsuccessful and began demanding refund of his money.

Investigations established that the deceased was lured to Mombasa under the pretext of resolving the dispute before being received by the second and third accused, who allegedly abducted him and drove him to Lango Baya Forest, where he was strangled with a belt before acid was poured on his body.

The family, led by Abdirahman Kassim Jiraw and Mohamed Rashid Ali Jiraw, said they had waited for more than eight years for justice and expressed satisfaction with the court's verdict.

The court revoked the accused persons bail and ordered them to remain in custody pending sentencing on September 30, 2026.

Justice Micheni ordered the arrest of another suspect who failed to attend court during delivery of the judgment.