10 Kenyans to be hanged for killing senior military official

janet ndila

April 12, 2017 4:45 PM

The military man was torched beyond recognition alongside his driver Moses Magiri Amek and his farmhand Simon Gombe.

10 men accused of killing a chief accountant in the Department of Defence (DoD) have been sentenced to death.

Elkana Gondi Syong'oh was mistakenly murdered in 2013 after villagers of Mwanche village in Migori County raised an alarm of suspected cattle rustlers.

In the ruling, Justice David Majanja stated that the evidence given by 23 witnesses was solid enough to convict the ten.

“The savage way the accused inflicted the injuries on the deceased leave no doubt that they were inflicted with intent to cause grievous harm or death, the judge said.

The ten men include David Ochieng Ajwang, Nicholas Otunga Otieno, Daniel Owino Oganyo, Julius Makambo Obade, Kennedy Kisa Omweri, Julius Otieno Deya, Janes Ogalo Oketch Olendo, Joseph Odhiambo Majiwa, Joseph Keya Omweri and Paul Koi Odeko.

The Judge highlighted that: “Ajwang was seen cutting the left hand of the driver with a panga. The driver nevertheless continued driving until he stopped the car at the junction of the main road headed to Migori".

"After the car stopped, Joseph Odhiambo began pulling the driver and passengers out of the car with the help of Nicholas Otunga,” Judge Majanja noted.

Justice Majanja also indicated that some of the suspects were found with stolen property belonging to the killed men.

According to the evidence presented to the court, a Mr Keya was busted with two jackets stolen from the slain men while a Chloride Exide battery from Mr Syong'oh’s car was also found at his home.

The court heard that Syong’oh was a farmer, who had travelled in the area to buy quail, when he met his gruesome death.