DPP reduces charges for man who admitted to killing son, 22, over meal in Nairobi

The Director of Public Prosecutions has dropped a murder charge against a man in Nairobi who admitted killing his 22-year-old son after the two fought over a meal.

Gerishon Mukuna Mugesia will now be convicted of manslaughter after he pleaded guilty to killing his only child on the night of November 20, 2012 at the city’s Kaiyaba slums.

The DPP made an application for the lesser charge after the man confessed to killing his son.

A prosecutor told the court that on the fateful night, the father, a casual labourer, returned home from work at around 8pm and while waiting for his wife to serve him food, his son, Brian Lwango Mukuna, arrived and demanded a meal.

The father, in response, told him that he was also waiting to be served.
The court heard that he had returned home with vegetables and requested his son to go and buy some kerosene to prepare the meal.

However, the son became agitated and proceeded to pick a quarrel with his father.

FIGHT BROKE OUT

A fight broke then out, during which he picked a knife and stabbed his son on the chest, fatally wounding him.

Asked if the facts as read out by the prosecutor were true, Mukana concurred.

In mitigation, a lawyer, Mr Solomon Wamwayi, said Mukana was remorseful as he loved his son dearly and “was willing to cook for him”.

“Had the young man not picked a quarrel with his father this would not have happened,” the lawyer said.

He said Mukana has been in custody since 2012 following the tragic incident and asked the trial court to pass a lenient sentence.

On Wednesday, judge Jessie Lessit delayed the sentence, stating she would consider a probation report before convicting Mukana.

She set a mention date of the case for June 29.