Kisumu Man Jailed for Killing Aunt in Family Dispute
A 31-year-old man has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for murdering his aunt in Kisumu County following a domestic dispute that turned violent.
The sentence was handed down by High Court Judge Joe M. Omido in Kisumu after the court found Kevin Omondi Nyapietho guilty of killing Gaudencia Otieno Aoko on February 21, 2023.
The incident happened at Kapuonja Sub-location in Kisumu West Sub-County, where Aoko had taken Nyapietho into her home after the death of his parents. She had assumed the responsibility of caring for him and treated him as her own child.
According to evidence presented in court, trouble began during supper on the night of the incident. Nyapietho confronted his aunt and her two children, accusing them of planning to poison him. The accusation led to a heated exchange before he left the house. He then locked the three family members inside the house from outside.
One of his cousins, who was a secondary school student, later locked the door from the inside as a precaution. Nyapietho returned shortly afterwards and forced his way through the locked door.
The court heard that he then attacked Aoko with a hoe, striking her on the head and shoulder with the sharp edge of the farm tool. Aoko suffered serious injuries and later died from the attack.
The prosecution, led by Prosecution Counsel Mercy Mutheu Muema, presented six witnesses to prove the murder charge against Nyapietho. The charge was brought under Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code, which covers murder and its punishment.
A pathologist who conducted the post-mortem examination told the court that Aoko died from a severe head injury caused by multiple lacerative wounds to her head. After considering the evidence, Justice Omido ruled that the prosecution had proved all the essential elements of murder beyond reasonable doubt.
The court also found that Nyapietho was the person who unlawfully attacked Aoko and caused the injuries that resulted in her death. Following the conviction, the judge sentenced Nyapietho to 35 years in prison.
The court informed him that he has the legal right to challenge both the conviction and the sentence. He has 14 days from the date of the judgment to file an appeal.