NAIROBI, Kenya – Stephen Munyakho, a Kenyan man who spent 14 harrowing years on death row in Saudi Arabia, has revealed that a rare clause under Sharia law delayed his execution, ultimately paving the way for negotiations that saved his life.
Munyakho, who had lived in Saudi Arabia since 1996, was sentenced to death in 2016 after a fatal confrontation with a Yemeni colleague in 2011.
However, during an interview on JKLive on Wednesday night, he disclosed that his execution was postponed because the victim’s children were minors at the time—a crucial stipulation under Islamic law.
“They told me, ‘You’re being sentenced to death, but the children are still young, so we have to wait,’” he said. “That delay gave us time to negotiate with the family.”
Blood Money vs. Death Sentence
In Saudi Arabia, Sharia law allows the victim’s family to decide the fate of an offender by either seeking execution, accepting diyya (blood money), or forgiving the individual entirely.
Initially, the court had ruled Munyakho’s case as accidental, and he was given a five-year sentence.
But that decision was later overruled when the victim’s widow and her brother insisted on execution. According to Munyakho, this marked a shift from public to private rights, which take precedence under Sharia law.
“Public rights sentenced me to five years. But under private rights, the widow came forward and demanded execution instead of compensation. That’s how the death sentence was reinstated,” he explained.
A Ksh.400 Million Demand for Forgiveness
The turning point came when the Kenyan government began diplomatic efforts to save Munyakho. The victim’s family agreed to consider diyya but initially demanded 10 million Saudi riyals—equivalent to about Ksh.400 million at the time.
“They didn’t want the matter in court,” Munyakho said. “But the Saudi government insisted negotiations must be formal. That’s when talks began in earnest.”
Thanks to years of back-channel efforts, legal support, and community fundraising from Kenyans both at home and abroad, an agreement was eventually reached with the victim’s family, leading to his release.
Back Home and Grateful
Munyakho returned to Kenya earlier this week, bringing closure to a long and painful chapter of his life. He expressed deep gratitude to Kenyans who contributed to his legal fees and supported him during his years behind bars.
“I thank every single person who stood with me. Without your support, I wouldn’t be alive today,” he said emotionally.
His story now serves as a powerful reminder of the complexities of international justice systems and the impact of community and diplomatic intervention in life-and-death situations.
