Two men sentenced to death for killing Rai Cement manager

Two men have been sentenced to death by a Kericho court for their role in the brutal murder of Rai Cement factory manager Chetan Vyas in 2019.

Julius Odundo and Joseph Muriithi were found guilty of robbing and killing Vyas at his home within the company premises in Kipsitet area, Kenya.

A violent robbery that turned fatal

According to the charge sheet, the two men, together with others who are still at large, broke into Vyas’ house on the night of September 22-23, 2019, armed with a knife and an axe. They tied up Vyas’ hands and legs and strangled him to death using a rope. They also stole his mobile phone and five suitcases containing various items of unknown value.

The court heard that the suspects were traced through the phone signal of the stolen phone, which led to the arrest of one of them. The other suspect was arrested later after he was identified by a witness who saw him leaving the scene of the crime. The prosecution presented 18 witnesses and several exhibits to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Argument

The defence lawyers argued that their clients were innocent and had alibis for the night of the incident. They also claimed that the identification parade was flawed and that the evidence was circumstantial. However, the magistrate dismissed their arguments and found them guilty as charged.

The magistrate said that the offence was heinous and deserved the maximum penalty under the law. He said that the suspects showed no remorse and had no regard for human life. He also noted that Vyas was a valuable asset to the company and the country, and his death was a great loss.

The two men have 14 days to appeal against their sentence.