Unyama! Fired farmhand murders boss

Piece by: KNA by Omar Zabbibah /Davis Langat
Crime

A 40-year-old farmhand has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Homa Bay High court.

Julius Odhiambo appeared before Justice Kiarie Waweru and was found guilty of murder contrary to the penal code.

Odhiambo was convicted of killing his employer Florence Nyangweso at her homestead in Pala Boya sub location within Ndhiwa Sub County on 18th August 2013 for dismissing him from work.

He had disappeared for three years after the incident before he was traced to a village within the bordering Suba Sub County in 2015 where he was apprehended and charged with murder.

Odhiambo had then taken a plea of not guilty leading to the introduction of a number of witnesses during the proceedings.

Odhiambo had denied all charges stating that he was absent from the homestead at the time of Miss Nyangweso’s death.

Witnesses clarified to the court that trouble had ensued when his contract to provide farm services to the deceased was terminated for slacking in his duties.

Shadrack Nyangweso, the deceased’s son who is a businessman at Awendo trading centre in Migori county narrated to the court that he had visited his mother on 16th August 2013 but did not find Odhiambo within the premises, he had left without notifying any of the family members.

It was also reported that Miss Nyangweso had raised complaints that Odhiambo used to abandon his duties which had prompted a meeting between her son and Odhiambo.

“When I probed Odhiambo about the allegations he gave the impression that he was disinterested in his work. I had then terminated his contract and instructed him to collect his pay for the duration worked that month from my business premises in Awendo,” Shadrack told the court.

The accused, however, did not do as instructed but instead had gone for a machete from his quarters and proceeded to Miss Nyangweso’s house to talk to her about the contract.

According to Miss Nyangweso’s younger son who is a minor, Odhiambo had deceived his mother to look at a rat running on the roof before attacking her. He heard her cries but by then the accused had already murdered his mother.

Police constable Peter Mbugua acknowledged to the court that he had discovered a blood-stained machete from Odhiambo’s previous quarters.

Justice Waweru said that evidence against the accused was sufficient sentencing him to life imprisonment.

“I am satisfied that the prosecution has sufficiently proved their case against the accused. I hereby find him guilty and sentence him to life imprisonment. He has a period of 14 days to appeal,” ruled justice Waweru.

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