Miss Lang'ata Prison Ruth Kamande Handed Death Sentence for Stabbing Boyfriend 22 Times

The High Court has handed a death sentence to Miss Lang’ata Women's Prison, Ruth Kamande for the murder of her boyfriend.

On 31st May, the beauty pageant winner was found guilty of stabbing her boyfriend, Farid Mohammed 22 times in 2015 in Nairobi's Buruburu estate.

Justice Jessie Lesiit ruled that her actions proved malice and convicted her for murder. Earlier, Ms Kamande’s lawyer had urged the court to give her a lenient sentence arguing that she had “established a close relationship with God” since she was taken into custody in 2015.

The lawyer further said his client had converted to Islam and has been praying five times daily. The advocate also presented that Ms Kamande had enrolled for a theology course at the prison, an indication that she was a changed person.

He told the court that Ms Kamande was the only child to her single mum and that she had enrolled for a course at a local university prior to her arrest in 2015.

“When arrested, the 21 yeas old then had just been enrolled at JKUAT to study Business, a dream which was shuttered by the circumstances here in,” submitted her advocate.

However, the prosecution urged the court to hand Ms Kamande a death penalty, arguing that she was arrogant during the trial.

The prosecution also said the victim was an orphan, and his family's breadwinner. “The 24-year-old then, whose life was cut short is an orphan and had a task of provide for the rest of the family members, hence justice should prevail,” said the prosecution counsel.

During trial, Ms Kamande said that she found a hospital card which indicated that Mohammed was undergoing HIV treatment. After confronting him, she said the boyfriend threatened to rape and kill her, leading to an argument. 

Ms Kamande said she stabbed him with a kitchen knife after it fell on her as they wrestled on the ground.

In convicting her, the judge said though Ms Kamande claimed she committed the offence on self-defence, the number of stabs on the deceased body failed to support her position.