Narok businesswoman jailed for murder of boyfriend

 Hellen Wambui [Photo: Courtesy]

A 33-year-old woman has been sentenced to 20 years in jail after she was found guilty of shooting her boyfriend dead four years ago.

Narok High Court Judge Justus Bwonong’a yesterday found Hellen Wambui (pictured) guilty of murdering her boyfriend Roy Ibrahim at Nkorinkori area in Narok South sub-county on January 20, 2015.

The accused, who until her sentencing was a trader in Narok town, had told the court she met Ibrahim in 2007 and that they lived together.

“Indeed the life of a middle-aged man who happens to be a longtime boyfriend of the accused was lost. Investigations revealed that a shotgun was used where the accused fired two shots with one hitting (Ibrahim) killing him on the spot and another missing the target (and) passing through the bedding,” ruled Justice Bwonong’a.

Custodial sentence

The accused, through her lawyer James Onduso, suffered a setback in her quest for a non-custodial sentence when the court ruled that the crime she committed was serious.

She had told the court she was the sole bread-winner, a mother of two and a first-time offender.

Earlier on, Wambui told the court she had a kidney problem and needed dialysis. But when directed to go for medical checkup at Narok Referral Hospital, her kidneys were found to be functioning normally. She, however, was found to be suffering peptic ulcers, but which still did not work to earn her a non-custodial senence.

The judge ruled that the 11 witnesses who testified in the case, among them three officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, two cooks, medics, a neighbour and a guard, gave convincing testimonies.

“I find that custodial sentence is necessary in this circumstance as the offense was committed using a sophisticated weapon and therefore the appropriate sentence is 20 years,” ruled Justice Bwonong’a.

Wambui has 14 days to appeal the sentence.