A Tharaka Nithi couple serving a 30-year prison term for the murder of their area chief is pleading their innocence, claiming they were wrongfully convicted over a land dispute.
John Nthiga Kirema and his wife, Leah Muthoni, were among nine people sentenced for the killing of Kimaindi location chief Japhet Majau on April 30, 2019. Speaking from prison, Kirema insists they had no part in the brutal attack that led to the chief’s death.
“My wife and I are suffering in prison over a land dispute. We had nothing to do with the chief’s murder,” he lamented.
Others serving time in connection to the case include Gerald Njeru M’ibua, Julius Mburu, John Nthiga, Sisiria Katora, Julius Kimenye, Jornard Njagi, Gediel Munyua, and Tom Kinyua. The prosecution had accused the group of orchestrating the killing following tensions in the community.
Despite their conviction, the couple maintains they were victims of false accusations driven by local disputes, with hopes that their case might one day be revisited. The murder shocked the rural community, leaving lingering divisions over justice, land ownership, and the events that led to the chief’s death.
By Kenyans