Father sentenced to 35 years in prison for poisoning his two children
Father sentenced to 35 years in prison for poisoning his two children
The High Court in Eldoret has sentenced Musa Saka to 35 years in prison after convicting him of murdering his two young children by poisoning them.
In a statement on Tuesday, July 7, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said the conviction followed a trial in which the prosecution presented evidence showing that Saka deliberately poisoned his children after a domestic dispute with his wife.
The court found that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, leading to his conviction on two counts of murder.
“Prosecution, through the testimony of six witnesses, proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, establishing that the accused poisoned the victims by serving them vegetables laced with Triatix,” the statement read.
According to the ODPP, the prosecution further outlined the events leading up to the poisoning, stating that the accused’s wife had left their matrimonial home after a domestic disagreement, leaving the children in his custody.
“Evidence presented before the court showed that, prior to the heinous act, the accused had engaged in a domestic dispute with his wife, who had left the matrimonial home, leaving their four children in his care,” the statement added.
The court heard that on the day of the incident, the family shared a meal before going to bed, unaware that the vegetables had allegedly been poisoned.
“On the material day, the accused and his children ate ugali and vegetables prepared by the eldest child before retiring to bed,” the statement further read.
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According to the ODPP, soon after the meal, the children began suffering severe symptoms consistent with poisoning, prompting one of them to seek help from a neighbour.
“Shortly thereafter, the children began experiencing severe stomach pains. One of the children managed to gather enough strength to seek help, prompting a neighbour to respond and find the accused and the other children in critical condition,” the statement explained.
The victims were rushed to hospital, but two of the children later died.
During the trial, one of the surviving children gave evidence describing what had happened that night.
“They were rushed to hospital, but two of the children succumbed to the effects of the poisoning. One of the surviving children testified against the accused, recounting the traumatic ordeal,” the statement noted.
The prosecution team urged the court to impose a custodial sentence.
They argued that Saka had gravely abused the trust placed in him as a father and that the murders were premeditated and carried out in an exceptionally cruel manner, justifying a deterrent punishment.
In delivering its decision, the court imposed a 35-year prison sentence on each count of murder.
“In delivering the sentence of 35 years’ imprisonment on each count, Justice Wananda observed that the victims had suffered a horrific death at the hands of the very person they looked to for protection and care,” the statement concluded.
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