EMBU, Kenya – A 49-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after admitting to murdering his wife in Embu County in October 2023.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said Isaac Mbuva Muasya was convicted of murdering his wife, Emily Mutuli, following a plea bargain negotiated between the prosecution and the accused.
Muasya had been charged with murder contrary to Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code.
Couple Had Marital Dispute
According to the prosecution, the couple had experienced marital differences for about a week following a family dispute involving their daughter and her husband.
The disagreement had reportedly been resolved earlier on the day of the incident, but tension persisted into the evening.
The court heard that the couple’s seven-year-old daughter was sleeping beside her mother when the incident occurred.
Daughter Witnessed Attack
Prosecutors told the court that Muasya pulled his wife from the bed and tied her hands and neck with a rope.
He later returned with an object and struck Mutuli twice before fleeing the scene, the prosecution said.
The court heard that Muasya then covered the child with a blanket before leaving.
Neighbours were alerted by the commotion and prompted the couple’s son to check what had happened.
He found his mother lying in a pool of blood with a rope around her neck.
Efforts were made to assist her, but she had already died.
Police Investigate Murder
The incident was reported at Karaba Police Station, where investigators processed the scene.
Mutuli’s body was subsequently taken to Embu Level Four Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem examination.
The prosecution was led by Scolastica Kinya, Peninah Mwaniki and Brian Felix, who negotiated the plea bargain with Muasya.
Previous Conviction Considered
In determining the sentence, the court considered the circumstances surrounding the murder as well as Muasya’s previous conviction for robbery with violence.
The plea bargain resulted in Muasya admitting the offence and receiving a 25-year prison sentence.
The sentence brings the case to a conclusion nearly three years after Mutuli was killed on October 17, 2023.
