Form Three boy who stabbed and killed father sentenced to two years in Borstal institution

A 16-year-old boy, a form three student was recently sentenced to two years in Borstal institution after he pleaded guilty to stabbing his father to death. The teen who had been charged with murder is now facing manslaughter charges following plea bargain agreement signed on November 5 last year.

According to court documents, the teen committed the offense on the night of January 22, 2020 in Kipkelion Sub-County, within Kericho county.

The accused had gone home under unclear circumstances since he was in boarding school. He found his mother preparing bean seeds for planting while his deceased father was away. When his father returned, he found his son eating supper and wanted to know why the accused was at home.

Drunk and furious, he started quarreling the accused and a fight ensued and mother of the accused called a neighbour to restrain the deceased.

The teenager was taken away from the scene but his father kept following him while hurling insults at him. The two engaged in a fist fight and the teenager reached for a knife, stabbed his father severally on his chest. The fight moved to the banana plantation where the father was overpowered.

Having lost a lot of blood, he was rushed to fort Tenan hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The accused presented himself at Kokwet Police Post at 10.00 pm the same day. The court considered the mitigation given by the defense counsel and presentence report that indicated that accused was underage and that his family was ready to receive him back to continue with his studies.

A probation sentence was recommended so as to monitor and supervise the accused in his studies. In a judgment delivered by Kericho High Court Judge A.N. Ongeri; “the fact that the deceased was drunk and assaulted the accused for going home was not a good reason to fight the deceased and stab him yet he was not armed.

He needed to learn that his act led to the demise of his own father and that it is wrong for any child to fight his or her father. I therefore sentence him to two years in a Borstal Institution under the supervision of Kericho County Probation Officer.”