NAIROBI, Kenya – The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of Ruth Kamande, a former Miss Lang’ata Women’s Prison, effectively upholding her life sentence for the 2015 murder of her boyfriend, Farid Mohammed Halim.
Kamande was convicted of fatally stabbing Halim 25 times in a crime that shocked the nation.
In her appeal, Kamande sought to introduce the concept of battered woman syndrome as a defense, arguing that the circumstances of her relationship with Halim had led her to act out of self-defense due to prolonged abuse.
She contended that the case raised significant legal and public interest questions.
However, the Supreme Court ruled that the defense was not raised in her initial trial nor during her previous appeal, despite battered woman syndrome being a recognized concept in legal systems since the 1970s.
“It is not lost on this Court that at no point in her defense did the applicant raise the defense of battered woman syndrome, either implicitly or explicitly,” the court’s judgment stated, affirming the lower courts’ decisions.
The court also questioned the timing of the defense’s introduction, noting that it was brought forward only during an application for certification before the Court of Appeal, casting doubt on whether it had been adequately addressed in earlier proceedings.
In addition to procedural concerns, the court pointed out that Kamande’s own testimony painted a picture of a typical romantic relationship, with no clear signs of the abuse or toxic behavior necessary to support the battered woman syndrome argument.
Throughout her defense, she failed to present compelling evidence of sustained violence or threats from Halim that would justify the use of the syndrome as a defense.
Kamande, who had moved to the Supreme Court after her life sentence was upheld by the Court of Appeal in 2020, had hoped for a reduction in her sentence or a retrial.
However, with this final ruling, the Supreme Court’s decision puts an end to her bid for a reduced term, meaning Kamande will continue serving her life sentence for the brutal murder.
The case of Ruth Kamande, which has attracted significant media attention, serves as a critical reminder of the legal processes that govern criminal trials and appeals.
While the concept of battered woman syndrome has been recognized in certain legal systems, the court emphasized that the defense must be properly raised and substantiated at the earliest stages of the legal process to be considered valid.
For Kamande, the court’s ruling marks the conclusion of a long legal battle, affirming the gravity of her actions and the finality of her life sentence.
