Convicted priest’s mother dies of 'shock'

ISIOLO: The elderly mother of a Catholic priest convicted of a bishop’s murder has reportedly died after learning her son’s fate.

Midadi Guyo, 70, died on Tuesday night on learning that Fr Guyo Malley had been found guilty of killing Luigi Locati nine years ago. The priest and four others were sentenced to death yesterday.

Sources who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter said the woman died in a house in Merti district from “shock”.

“She died minutes after the news and was buried yesterday at a cemetery in Merti,” said an NGO official from the area.

Isiolo town residents Thursday praised the court’s decision, saying Bishop Locati, who started the Isiolo Catholic Diocese in 1963, had contributed immensely to the county’s development.

“I have followed the case for the last nine years and agree with the court’s verdict. The killers deserve the sentence,” said John Mugambi, a resident of an estate near the diocese headquarters. “Most of the dispensaries in the rural parts of the county were set up by the late bishop.”

Another resident said, “I believe the priest had a motive for killing the bishop.” Some were not so happy, saying the priest was elbowed out of his parish due to “vested interests within the diocese”.

“People should not celebrate when one is sentenced to death. He (Maley) was a victim of power struggles within the diocese,” said a resident identified only as Huka.