Four Sentenced to Death Over Killing of Former MP

Four individuals convicted of violent robberies linked to the 2015 killing of former Kabete MP George Muchai, his two bodyguards, and a driver have been sentenced to death.

The four were sentenced to death on Thursday, April 9, following their conviction on three counts of robbery with violence.

The court also sentenced two other accused persons, namely Jane Wanjiru and Margaret Njeri, to 10 years imprisonment for being in possession of a firearm and ammunition without a valid firearm certificate.

Court Sentences Four to Death Over Killing of Former Kabete MP George Muchai

While delivering the ruling, Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina said the court had weighed all relevant factors, including mitigation, pre-sentencing reports, and the period the accused had spent in custody since their arrest.

“I have taken into account the submissions made by counsels for the accused persons and the DPP. The court is unable to interfere with the position on the death sentence as provided by law,” Onyina ruled.

The magistrate noted that although all the convicts pleaded for leniency and had no previous criminal records—thus being treated as first offenders—the nature of the offenses outweighed their mitigation. He observed that victims were abducted during the robberies, underscoring the seriousness and brutality of the crime.

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The four are accused of orchestrating the cold-blooded killing of Muchai, his two police bodyguards, namely Constable Samuel Kimathi and Constable Samuel Lekakeny, alongside his driver, Stephen Ituu Wambugu, along Kenyatta Avenue in February 2015.

Muchai, who was serving his first term as Kabete MP at the time, was widely known for his involvement in trade union leadership before joining politics, with his murder considered one of the most high-profile political assassinations in Kenya in recent years.

The prosecution proved that on the nights of 6th and 7th February 2015, the four accused persons violently robbed Michael Ngatia, Gladys Waithera, and Irene Muthoni on separate occasions while armed with a G3 rifle and pistols and threatened to use violence against them.

During the robberies, the accused stole property valued at Ksh 1.1 million. The stolen items included two motor vehicles, a gas cylinder, four mobile phones, a laptop, and cash.

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Evidence Linking the Suspects to the Death of Lawmaker

The death sentence was secured after the prosecution presented a strong case supported by testimony from 36 witnesses who provided evidence linking the accused persons to the crimes.

Among the testimonies was that of a protected taxi driver who placed one of the accused, Mustafa Kimani Anyoni, at the center of the crime and produced a gun safety pin discovered in his vehicle, which was later confirmed as evidence.

In detailed submissions filed by Principal Prosecution Counsel Peris Maina, the DPP demonstrated that the killings were not random but premeditated, pointing to the accused persons’ use of dangerous weapons and the execution-style shootings as evidence of careful planning.

Autopsy reports by government pathologist Johansen Oduor confirmed all four victims died of close-range gunshot wounds from high-velocity firearms.