Imagine being sentenced to 30 years in prison for a crime you had no involvement in. This is the unfortunate reality for neurosurgeon Clement Munyao Katiku, who previously worked at Kenyatta National Hospital.
Clement Munyao Katiku boasts an impressive academic background, having graduated from the University of Nairobi in 1980 with degrees in Medicine and Surgery. He furthered his education with a master’s degree in Human Medicine and Pathology in 1987. In 1990, he completed another master’s degree in Human Forensics and Pathology in Scotland.
Clement’s legal troubles began in 2009, seemingly starting with a stroke of bad luck. On the day his daughter was set to enroll at Moi Kabarak University in Eldoret, she insisted on having a phone for communication, despite his promise to get one during the holidays. To meet her demand, Clement exchanged some money for a phone from a young man who needed Ksh. 1000 for a funeral in Makueni.
Soon after, Clement began receiving calls from an unknown number. One afternoon, his boss informed him that a police officer from the Crime Branch had inquired about him. To Clement’s shock, his daughter and her boyfriend had been arrested at Kilimani police station.
It was discovered that the phone Clement had purchased was linked to a crime. The phone had belonged to the brother of former police chief Mathiu Iteere, who had been murdered by robbers.
Clement explained that he had bought the phone from a young man, but the list of suspects grew to include nine people, including his daughter’s boyfriend and a domestic employee of the murdered police chief.
Despite providing testimony, Clement was wrongfully sentenced to death, and his appeal was ultimately rejected.
Reflecting on his prison experience, Clement highlights the dangers of mass incarceration and stresses the need for swift legal resolutions to prevent similar injustices. His story serves as a cautionary tale for many Kenyans who face unjust legal consequences.
By Nation