Stephen Munyakho freed from Saudi jail, PS Sing’Oei confirms
The government is expected to share more information soon regarding his return to Kenya
A Kenyan man who was facing death row in Saudi Arabia, Stephen Abdukareem Munyakho, is free.
This is after he satisfied all the set conditions by the Kingdom judicial system.
The release of Munyakho has been confirmed by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei, who revealed that Munyakho was released at 10 am and is no longer on death row.
“Munyakho, the Kenyan national who has been on death row in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is free as of 10 am today, according to the satisfaction of judicial decree. We shall provide further details regarding his arrival in the country. I commend all who have offered their support towards securing this outcome,” the PS has said in his statement.
The Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh, which has been monitoring the case, also confirmed that Munyakho performed his Umra (minor pilgrimage) shortly after his release.
The government is expected to share more information soon regarding Munyakho’s return to Kenya.
Munyakho was convicted of manslaughter in 2013 following the death of Yemeni national Abdul Halim Mujahid Makrad Saleh in an incident which occurred in 2011, resulting in the deceased succumbing to stab wounds sustained during an altercation.
He had been initially sentenced to five years in prison, but the victim’s family successfully appealed, leading to an enhanced sentence of execution with an option to pay 3.5 million Saudi riyals (Sh120.9 million) in blood money.
Munyakho has spent the past 13 years behind bars, being held at both Dhaban Prison in Jeddah and Shimeisi Prison in Mecca.
Under Saudi law, families of victims can negotiate “diya,” or blood money, as compensation for unintentional harm or death.
In March this year, the process of releasing Munyakho started after the victim’s family received the $1 million (Sh129.5 million) blood money required for his freedom.
The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) confirmed that the amount was paid by the Muslim World League, a move that saved Munyakho from execution.
The Muslim World League made the payment following sustained efforts by SUPKEM and other partners.
The case gained traction after SUPKEM hosted the top leadership of the Muslim World League in Nairobi in August last year.
