UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar has announced that Stephen Munyakho, a Kenyan who was on death row in Saudi Arabia, is set to return home after a fine of Sh129.5 million was settled. The payment was facilitated following a direct appeal for intervention by President William Ruto.
Speaking at the State Iftar dinner hosted by Ruto at State House Nairobi, Omar revealed that the Muslim World League paid $1 million (Sh129.5 million) to secure Munyakho’s release.
Munyakho, a former warehouse manager, was convicted of manslaughter in 2011 following an altercation that led to the death of a colleague. His sentence was later upgraded to murder by a Shariah court in 2014. Under Sharia law, he faced execution by beheading, but the process was delayed as one of the victim’s sons had to reach the age of majority to give consent.
Initially, the victim’s family demanded Sh352.2 million in blood money, which was later negotiated down to Sh129.5 million. With the amount now settled, Munyakho is expected to return to Kenya soon.
