Mother And Son Released From Murder Case After Serving 14 Years In Prison

As Justice John Mativo concluded reading his ruling, which was relayed via video link to Shimo la Tewa jail, where she had spent the previous 14 years, Ms. Rehema Abdalla Wanje could not contain her pleasure.

Mr. Said Abdalla, her son, was also released when the High Court granted their petition for resentencing.

After being found guilty of jointly murdering Abdalla Kazungu Wanje in Biriyaaa village, Kaloleni sub-county, the two were sentenced to death.

Mr. Wanje, Ms. Rehema's spouse and Mr. Abdalla's father, died as a result of multiple head fractures caused by a stone.

Their death sentences were later converted to life without the possibility of parole.

Justice Mativo sentenced them to 14 years in prison, which they had already served, citing the probation officer's favorable findings on each of them.

"I visited Shimo la Tewa Women's Prison during my supervisory visits to the prison, where I met the second petitioner (Ms. Rehema). She is elderly and weak, and in my opinion, prison life is difficult for someone her age," Justice Mativo stated.

The judge said he had weighed the necessity to give both a chance to reconstruct their lives, noting that the petitioners were regretful. He expressed his belief that they had learned from their mistakes.

"I'm struck by their shared yearning to return home and reunite with their families. I am convinced that the order that best serves the interests of justice is for them to be released," he stated.

Ms. Rehema testified in court that she lacked the endurance to undertake jail work at her age, while her son stated that he needed a second opportunity.

On March 13, 2008, another son of Mzee Wanje went to his parent's house and found his mother alone, which began their trip to incarceration.

When he inquired about his father's whereabouts, Ms. Rehema informed him that the elderly gentleman had embarked on a journey but did not specify where he was headed.

The son was unsatisfied with the response and began questioning other relatives about what had occurred. He proved that his father was murdered and that his sibling was involved in the crime.

Ms. Rehema showed detectives a large rock that was used to beat Mzee Wanje in the head at the family's house.

The court noted in condemning the two to death that Mr. Abdalla had a vendetta against his father, whom he thought to be a witch.

The verdict stated, "There was certainly malice aforethought by Abdalla in the death of the dead."

"The fact that he and his mother did not seek to report the death to authorities after the killing, instead of arranging for the body to be unlawfully disposed of, is a clear sign of a guilty mind on their part."