Miss Lang'ata Prison Ruth Kamande Handed Death Sentence for Stabbing Boyfriend 22 Times
The High Court has handed a death sentence to Miss Lang’ata Women's Prison, Ruth Kamande for the murder of her boyfriend.
On 31st May, the beauty pageant winner was found guilty of stabbing her boyfriend, Farid Mohammed 22 times in 2015 in Nairobi's Buruburu estate.
Justice Jessie Lesiit ruled that her actions proved malice and convicted her for murder. Earlier, Ms Kamande’s lawyer had urged the court to give her a lenient sentence arguing that she had “established a close relationship with God” since she was taken into custody in 2015.
The lawyer further said his client had converted to Islam and has been praying five times daily. The advocate also presented that Ms Kamande had enrolled for a theology course at the prison, an indication that she was a changed person.
He told the court that Ms Kamande was the only child to her single mum and that she had enrolled for a course at a local university prior to her arrest in 2015.
“When arrested, the 21 yeas old then had just been enrolled at JKUAT to study Business, a dream which was shuttered by the circumstances here in,” submitted her advocate.
However, the prosecution urged the court to hand Ms Kamande a death penalty, arguing that she was arrogant during the trial.
The prosecution also said the victim was an orphan, and his family's breadwinner. “The 24-year-old then, whose life was cut short is an orphan and had a task of provide for the rest of the family members, hence justice should prevail,” said the prosecution counsel.
During trial, Ms Kamande said that she found a hospital card which indicated that Mohammed was undergoing HIV treatment. After confronting him, she said the boyfriend threatened to rape and kill her, leading to an argument.
Ms Kamande said she stabbed him with a kitchen knife after it fell on her as they wrestled on the ground.
In convicting her, the judge said though Ms Kamande claimed she committed the offence on self-defence, the number of stabs on the deceased body failed to support her position.
Comments
Indeed a fair sentence, how…
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Indeed a fair sentence, how can she justify the 22 stabbings? Where is her evidence that she was attacked? The HIV tx thing may be just a false attempt to justify her ruthless and deadly actions. Quite sad that 2 young lives will be lost due to lack of impulse control.
That defense lawyer, I…
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That defense lawyer, I wouldn't want him/her defending me in any case. Instead of arguing a case for self-defense, he goes for the luke-warm "I have reformed approach" . Where in law is "I have made peace with God, I converted to Islam, I pray five times day" a defense for murder you have been accused of? Save those as your last words, when the hangman's noose tightens. She may luck-out though, and end up defaulting to life imprisonment, because Kenya doesn't have a hangman at present. The last one passed on in 2009.
@Anos, note that this was…
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In reply to That defense lawyer, I… by Anos (not verified)
@Anos, note that this was the last plea from her lawyer to avoid her death sentence. In previous court proceedings her lawyer actually did a great job defending her, he brought up the issue of self defense, HIV, mental health etc and the judge rejected all arguments due to lack of evidence. So having exhausted all possible explanations, he was left with an option to make his client look like a reformed murder.
Thanks XG! for putting it in…
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In reply to @Anos, note that this was… by xG (not verified)
Thanks XG! for putting it in perspective. I based my comment on the summary here and haven't been following the case closely. Therefore for anything erroneous I have said, I stand corrected.
That defense lawyer, I…
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That defense lawyer, I wouldn't want him/her defending me in any case. Instead of arguing a case for self-defense, he goes for the luke-warm "I have reformed approach" . Where in law is "I have made peace with God, I converted to Islam, I pray five times day" a defense for murder you have been accused of? Save those as your last words, when the hangman's noose tightens.
She may luck out though, and end up defaulting to life imprisonment, because Kenya doesn't have a hangman at present. The last one passed on in 2009.
She will now take her beauty…
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She will now take her beauty to the gates of hell or will the disciple Peter open the gates of heaven for her?
@xg,I did not follow this…
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@xg,I did not follow this case.Do you know if her lawyer introduced insanity defence.The very act of stubbing someone 22 time is in itself insane.Just curious.
No evidence of premeditation…
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No evidence of premeditation was presented so her actions did not amount to murder. The frenzy with which she stabbed the victim may point more to temporary insanity rather than malice aforethought for which she deserved neither a life nor death sentence. Individuals involved in deeply romantic situations are often likely to commit irrational actions followed by feelings of acute remorse and regret. I hope the judge considered all these issues before passing a sentence that will surely destroy her young life. There's good grounds for appeal here.
Was she mentally checked?…
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Was she mentally checked?. She did wrong but may be out of her sense,self defense, no evidence of what happened at the time!. No appeal! nothing?.
Wow to much TV show…
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Wow to much TV show knowledge from almost if all you commenting here. In criminal defense Rarely unless there is clearly convincing evidence which stands beyond reasonable doubt can a defendant walk free. In other words you just plea for leniency and that’s it.if you can create doubt like famous OJ trial then you probably will walk.. there needs to be jury trials in Kenya.. heat of passion lead this woman to kill
Ruth Kamande act was purely…
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Ruth Kamande act was purely an evil act. if ur mad &told to just Count 22 times. by the time u tryg to 15th time, u will almost have gotten bored of counting.
she stabbed 22times....that's just an evil act.
Her defence is a justification to murder, as opposed to a realization
of "Yes i commited murder, bcoz of xyz, and yes I ought maybe to have walked away, but i didnt"
As the judge wells put it, this a gal who is manupilative& i can bet she comes from a broken background
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