Kenyans have expressed mixed reactions following the graduation of beauty queen Ruth Kamande, who was convicted of stabbing her boyfriend 25 times and sentenced to life imprisonment, with a law degree from Lang’ata Women’s Prison during a vibrant graduation ceremony.
Ruth Kamande, an inmate at Lang’ata Women’s Prison, was sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of first-degree murder by the Nairobi High Court in 2015, for fatally stabbing her boyfriend 25 times.
During the ceremony, she graduated with a law degree and expressed her gratitude to the Kenya Prison Service, the University of London, and the Justice Defenders organization for their role in offering prisoners the chance to pursue education.
She emphasized the significance of the event, saying, “We are here to celebrate this new chapter, a new story that all of you have helped rewrite.
We are not just celebrating graduates from the University of London, but individuals who have successfully studied law while behind bars—those who have been transformed, rehabilitated, and reformed.”
Reports suggest that Ruth Kamande has appealed her conviction and is seeking to have the Supreme Court review her case, with her lead counsel being her mentor and former Attorney General, Githu Muigai, whom she credited for inspiring her to pursue law while incarcerated.
“When I learned that Justice Defenders was offering the opportunity to regain dignity through education, I decided to take a chance, despite the many challenges, as I was on death row.
I wanted to make a difference in the future, just as Professor Githu Muigai helped me,” Kamande said.
Since her conviction, Ruth Kamande has seen significant changes in her life. In 2016, she won the Miss Lang’ata Women’s Prison competition, and by 2023, her death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by President William Ruto.
Kamande is now preparing to argue her case in the Supreme Court, where she will appeal her life sentence, claiming that she acted in self-defense during a domestic altercation with her boyfriend at his Buruburu residence, leading to the fatal stabbing.
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