Kenyan Faces Execution in Saudi Arabia, Family Scrambles to Raise Sh 123 Million Blood Money

Stephen Bertrand Munyakho, a Kenyan man born in Pumwani, Nairobi in 1974, faces possible execution in Saudi Arabia on May 15, 2024.

Munyakho was convicted of murder under Sharia law and sentenced to death by beheading. Munyakho's family is desperately trying to raise 3.5 million Saudi Arabia Riyals (SAR), approximately Sh123.3 million, to pay the victim's family as blood money (diya) in exchange for clemency. They have so far raised Sh5.5 million but need to raise the remaining balance within the next 10 days. Munyakho was originally sentenced to five years in prison for manslaughter after a fight with a Yemeni national Mr Abdul Halim Mujahid Markad Saleh in 2011.

Mr Saleh died in the hospital after the altercation. The victim's family appealed the verdict and the Sharia court upgraded the charges to murder. However, Munyakho's execution was delayed as the victim's son, who was a minor at the time, had to reach adulthood before consenting to the execution. Munyakho's mother, Dorothy Kweyu, has pleaded for help from the Kenyan public and expresses her belief that her son is not a murderer. She has also requested an extension of the deadline and a reduction in the blood money amount from the victim's family.

Donations can be made through Paybill number 8056675 with the account name "Let's Bring Back Stevo" or M-Pesa number 0702-878-717 with the recipient listed as Dorothy Musopole. Ms Kweyu emphasizes the urgency of the situation and encourages anyone to contribute. Kweyu conveys her firm belief that should the Kenyan government muster the requisite resolve, they could lend their assistance. Ms Kweyu also acknowledges the crucial role played by the Saudi embassy in Nairobi, commending their unwavering involvement throughout this journey.

"I can say without batting an eyelid that the government, that is the embassy in Riyadh, has never abandoned me," she affirms, "But what is lacking is that final push."