NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 7 – The Shanzu Chief Magistrate’s Court has sentenced two men to forty and thirty years each for their role in the murder of former Kilifi Deputy Governor Kenneth Kamto in 2018.
Chief Magistrate Yusuf Shikanda sentenced Julius Gitonga M’Muguu to 40 years in jail, while handing his accomplice, Joseph Amwayi Mukabana, 30 years.
The court found the two guilty of multiple counts of robbery with violence, along with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. It handed sentences ranging from 25 to 10 years for other counts.
While delivering the verdict virtually on Friday, Shikanda described the attack as cold-blooded and unprovoked.
“Kamto was shot dead in his home during a robbery, in full view of his wife. His family remains deeply traumatized. The convicts must come to the realization that such acts cannot be tolerated,” the magistrate ruled.
“The court must send a strong message that crime does not pay.”
The case dates back to December 2018, when armed assailants stormed Kamto’s residence in a robbery incident, fatally shooting him in front of his wife.
The shocking murder rattled Kilifi County and prompted intense investigations that led to the arrest of multiple suspects.
During the sentencing hearing, the defense team pleaded for leniency, arguing that both convicts were first-time offenders with families depending on them.
The court heard that M’Muguu, 57, suffers from a terminal illness and diabetes, while Mukabana, 50, is a father of 11 children.
However, probation reports dismissed their chances of reform. Probation Officer Josiah Asande labeled M’Muguu a high-risk offender with no motivation to change.
The prosecution opposed leniency.
“The convicts not only robbed and terrorized their victims but also took an innocent life. Justice must prevail,” the State argued.
The magistrate noted that Section 296(2) of the Penal Code prescribes a mandatory death sentence for robbery with violence.
However, citing the 2017 Supreme Court ruling in Francis Karioko Muruatetu v Republic, which declared the automatic death penalty unconstitutional, the court exercised discretion in sentencing.
The court said the senteces handed to M’Muguu and Mukabana will run concurrenty.
“No amount of punishment will bring back the life of the deceased. However, the court must send a strong message that crime does not pay,” Magistrate Shikanda noted.