Court finds woman guilty of killing husband, cutting body
Mary Njoki, 50, was found guilty of brutally and cruelly executed her husband, James Ng'ang'a Ritho, 60, in cold blood at Kangemi estate, Nairobi three years ago. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
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“I urge this court to consider handing me a non-custodial sentence since I am a Guild Women leader of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa,” she said.
She will be remanded until October 25, when the court will sentence her.
A woman has been found guilty of murdering her husband, cutting his body into pieces and dumping in a quarry at Machakos County.
Justice Stellah Mutuku who convicted Mary Njoki, 50, said she brutally and cruelly executed her husband, James Ng'ang'a Ritho, 60, in cold blood at Kangemi estate, Nairobi then cut his body into small pieces and stuffed in a travelling bag.
The court heard Ms Njoki wrapped the parts with bed sheets then dumped in a quarry at Lukenya in Athi River, Machakos County three years ago. Quarry workers discovered the rotting body.
ROTTING BODY
“Quarry workers noticed a bag that had many flies around it and a strong stench of a rotting body filled air. The workers notified police and the bag was retrieved and a rotting body of a male adult was stuffed therein,” the judge stated.
Ms Njoki had made a report to the police that the victim had been kidnapped by a three-man gang who attacked them at their Kangemi residence in Nairobi County on the night of December 14/15, 2015.
Justice Mutuku dismissed the accused defence saying it was an after thought.
She said the accused “ cooked up the story to cover-up her heinous acts of brutally and cruelly ending the life of her husband of 30 years.”
“ This court finds that the State prosecutor Ms Mercel Ikol proved beyond reasonable doubt that you premeditated the killing of your husband,” ruled the judge adding “You are hereby convicted for the offence of murder.”
In her mitigation Ms Njoki said she is remorseful and highly regrets her acts which gave rise to the murder of her husband.
REFORMED
“I urge this court to consider handing me a non-custodial sentence since I am a Guild Women leader of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa,” she said.
She told the judge that while in custody she studied theology and has been awarded a diploma by the University of PCEA.
Ms Njoki told the judge that she has decided to devote the rest of her life preaching the gospel.
“I am a reformed person as I stand before you. Sometime one makes a mistake in life then regrets as I do. Give me a second chance,” she pleaded.
But the judge reserved her sentence until the probation department avails a report on the accused.
She will be remanded until October 25, when the court will sentence her.
