Kenya Government Secures Delay in Execution of Jailed Citizen in Saudi Arabia

Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Korir Sing’oei, has announced that the execution of Kenyan national, Stephen Munyakho also known as Abdulkareem, has been postponed by the Saudi Arabian authorities.

The execution had been scheduled for May 15, 2024, but following a request from the Kenya government, it has been delayed to allow for further negotiations between the two countries.

Stephen Munyakho was convicted of killing his workmate a Yemeni in Saudi Arabia in a fight that took place in 2011. He was initially sentenced to five years in prison, but the sentence was later overturned by a Sheriah court in 2014, following an appeal by the family of the victim.

In this case, the Sheriah court found Stephen Munyakho guilty of manslaughter and charged him with qisas (equal retaliation/sword execution) or Ksh150 million as diya (blood money).

In Islamic law, diya is a financial compensation paid to the victim or their heirs in cases of murder, bodily harm, or property damage caused unintentionally.

The Kenya government has expressed its gratitude to the Saudi Arabian authorities for granting its request to postpone the execution.
The government will continue to work with its Saudi partners and engage with stakeholders, including religious leaders, to find a more acceptable resolution to the matter.

The government has also expressed its appreciation to its teams at the Ministry Headquarters and the Kenyan Mission in Riyadh for their tireless efforts in this matter.

The families of both the victim and the accused are in urgent need of closure, and the Kenyan government is committed to working towards a resolution that will provide them with the justice they deserve.

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