Court Issues Death Sentences in Ex-MP George Muchai Murder-Linked Robbery Case

A Nairobi court has sentenced four people to death after finding them guilty in the robbery with violence case connected to the killing of former Kabete Member of Parliament George Muchai.

In the same ruling, two other accused persons were each handed 10-year jail terms for offences linked to illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina delivered the judgment on Thursday, April 9, after concluding that the prosecution had successfully proved several charges against the six suspects.

These charges included robbery with violence as well as unlawful possession of guns and ammunition.

The court was told that the convicts were part of the gang behind the deadly night attack that claimed the lives of Muchai, his two bodyguards, and his driver.

The fatal ambush happened in Nairobi in February 2015 and shocked the country because of the high profile nature of the victims.

According to the prosecution, the armed gang intercepted the former MP while he was travelling along Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi’s Central Business District during the night.

The attackers, who were said to be heavily armed, carried out the operation in a well-coordinated manner before fleeing the scene.

While delivering the ruling, Magistrate Onyina said the evidence presented in court clearly showed that the four main convicts played a direct and central role in the violent robbery that ended in multiple deaths.

He added that the seriousness of the offence and the manner in which it was committed met the legal standard required for the death penalty under Kenya’s robbery with violence laws.

The two other accused persons received 10-year prison sentences after the court found them guilty of crimes related to the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

The magistrate explained that although the two were linked to the criminal network, the evidence tabled before the court did not directly place them at the actual murder scene.

George Muchai, who was serving his first term as Kabete MP at the time of his death, was a well-known public figure in Kenya.

Before joining elective politics, he had built a strong name for himself in the trade union movement, where he was respected for his leadership. His killing was therefore seen as one of the most prominent political assassinations in Kenya in recent years.

The case has taken more than a decade to reach its conclusion, marked by numerous court mentions, witness testimonies, legal submissions, and arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.

The long wait for judgment had kept public interest in the matter alive, given the weight of the case and the status of the victims involved.

During the hearing, prosecutors also linked the convicted individuals to a string of organised robberies that had taken place in Nairobi around the same period. The court noted that these incidents showed a clear pattern, with similar tactics used in each attack.

Among the similarities highlighted were the use of firearms, the number of gang members involved, and the execution style of the robberies.

The magistrate said these matching characteristics helped strengthen the prosecution’s case, further supporting the conclusion that the convicts were involved in a wider criminal operation active in the city at the time.

Join TUKO KADI Official WhatsApp Channel to stay updated on time
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30