Former Kenya Sevens rugby player Alex Olaba has lost his appeal against a six-year jail term, with the High Court today upholding his conviction for attempting to kill a witness linked to his earlier gang-rape case.
A Justice in Nairobi ruled that the trial magistrate’s verdict had been “firmly grounded on credible and corroborated evidence,” citing phone records, witness testimony, and a monetary transaction that pointed to Olaba’s direct involvement in the murder plot.
“The evidence clearly showed intent and participation,” the court said. “The sentence imposed was proportionate to the gravity of the offence.”
For years, Alex Olaba was known for his explosive pace on the pitch, a rising star in Kenya’s vibrant rugby sevens scene. But his name first hit headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2019, when he and teammate Frank Wanyama were convicted of gang-raping a woman after a night out in Nairobi.
The two were initially sentenced to 15 years in prison, before the High Court quashed the ruling in 2020 and ordered a retrial, citing procedural irregularities. While awaiting that retrial, Olaba’s legal woes deepened — prosecutors accused him of plotting to eliminate a key witness from the same case.
According to investigators, Olaba had approached an undercover detective he believed to be a hitman, offering a Sh 100,000 ‘job’ to silence the witness permanently. He allegedly made a Sh 10,000 down payment, sealing his fate.
“The accused’s actions were deliberate and calculated,” the judge wrote. “The state has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.”
Olaba’s lawyer had argued that his client was a victim of coercion and poor judgment while struggling with the stress of the rape retrial. But the court maintained that his intent to obstruct justice was “irrefutable.”
The six-year term, the judge said, would continue to run concurrently across the counts — meaning Olaba will serve the full stretch unless granted remission under standard prison procedure.
Even as this chapter closes, Olaba’s legal battles are far from over.His retrial on the gang-rape charges — the case that started it all — is set to begin in February 2026.
The retrial will determine whether the quashed 2019 conviction will be reinstated or fully dismissed, depending on the new evidence presented. If convicted again, Olaba could face additional prison time.
