Kenyan Facing Execution in Saudi Arabia Freed After 13 Years

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary (PS) Korir Sing’oei has announced that a Kenyan who was facing execution in Saudi Arabia, Stephen Munyakho, has been released after nearly 13 years.

Korir in statement on Tuesday July 22 said Munyakho was released following the full satisfaction of judicial decree.

“Steve Abdukareem Munyakho, the Kenyan national who has been on death row in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is free as of 10 am today pursuant to the full satisfaction of judicial decree,” Korir said.

Korir mentioned that Kenyan Mission in Riyadh has confirmed that Steve performed his Umra (minor pilgrimage) upon release.

“We shall provide further details regarding his arrival in the country. I commend all who have offered their support towards securing this outcome,” the PS added.

Stephen Munyakho Facing Execution in Saudi Arabia Freed

This comes after, in March this year, UDA party Secretary-General Hassan Omar announced that Nairobi and Riyadh had reached an agreement, and a $1 million (Ksh.129 million) settlement was paid.

“I believe the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Kenya, Ambassador Khalid, has confirmed that the request has been honored. The 1 million dollars has been paid, and the Kenyan will return home safe and sound,” said Omar.

Also Read: Kenyan Journalist Relaunches Fundraiser to Save His Son Facing Death Sentence

Munyakho had been working in Saudi Arabia as a warehouse manager when he was sentenced to death by the sword following a fatal altercation with a Yemeni colleague in April 2011. The colleague later succumbed to injuries sustained during the fight.

Thereafter, Stephen Munyakho was tried for murder and received a five-year imprisonment, but the Yemeni family later appealed the sentence in Shariah Court, citing the ‘reciprocal right to retaliate’.

Manslaughter Turned Death Sentence

Initially, he was jailed for manslaughter, but an appeal by the deceased’s family saw him handed a death sentence after charges were upgraded to murder.

The case, heard in 2014, overturned the ruling of a five-year sentence to a death sentence by the sword.

“However, this could not be done at the moment because a child (5 years) from the Yemeni family was involved. He was supposed to turn 18 to have a say on the execution of his father’s killer,” Kweyu said.

Also Read: Kenyan Escapes Execution in Saudi Arabia After Paying Ksh 129M

After negotiations, the victim’s family agreed to the Diya or blood money option—a financial compensation under Islamic law paid to the victim or heirs of the victim.

The initially agreed amount was 10 million Saudi Arabian Riyals (SAR) (equivalent to Ksh 400 million).

However, further negotiation between the two families would see the deceased family reduce the “blood money” to 3.5 million SAR (equivalent to Ksh. 150,000,000 at that time), which must be paid before his release.

Munyakho was originally scheduled for execution on May 15, 2024, but the authorities extended the deadline to July 26, 2024, and then further postponed it by four months to November 26, 2024.

The talks involved Kenyan diplomats, religious leaders, and the victim’s family in a bid to secure clemency.  

Dorothy Kweyu has been pleading to Kenyans to help her raise funds to save her son, from execution in Saudi Arabia.

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