Stephen Munyakho: Kenyan Man Who Survived Death Sentence in Saudi Opens Up on Deadly Fight, Regrets
- Stephen Munyakho, a Kenyan man jailed in Saudi Arabia for 14 years revealed the full story behind a deadly salary row
- He opened up about his friendship with the victim and the night that changed everything
- His return home came after years of legal hurdles and a multimillion-shilling blood money settlement
TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya
After 14 years on death row in Saudi Arabia, Stephen Munyakho has finally broken his silence.
Source: UGC
In a moving interview on Citizen TV, Munyakho, who now also goes by the name Abdulkareem after converting to Islam, recounted the events that led to his incarceration in 2011.
The former restaurant worker described the incident as an unfortunate twist during a salary dispute with his Yemeni colleague, Abdi Halim, which tragically ended in Halim’s death.
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At the time, both men were colleagues in the accounts department of a restaurant. According to Munyakho, they were not just workmates but good friends, even collaborating on other projects like an amusement park venture.
He recalled how close he had grown to Halim’s family, especially his daughter Susan, whom he fondly remembered holding in his arms.
What crime did Munyakho commit in Saudi Arabia?
The night of April 9, 2011, turned Munyakho’s life upside down. He claimed the disagreement started when Halim allegedly blocked him from collecting his salary, leading to a heated argument.
As tempers flared, the exchange escalated into a physical fight, which Munyakho said was the first time he had ever been involved in violence.
According to his account, Halim had a knife and was the first to use it, inflicting injuries on Munyakho’s hand and thigh.
Munyakho said he managed to wrestle the knife away and used it in return. He stressed that there was no intention to kill and maintained that Halim’s death resulted from delayed medical care, not the stabbing itself.
I ended up getting angry. He used words that were not very good and I could not take them. He is the one who started the fight. The knife was his. After he used it on me, I used it on him,” he said.
Source: Twitter
How was Munyakho's life spared?
He described the confrontation as a tragic mistake rather than a deliberate act of violence.
When he received news that Halim had died, Munyakho was devastated.
“When I was told he had passed on, I could not believe it. The main cause of his death was not stabbing but that he delayed going to hospital and so he lost a lot of blood. It was just a mistake,” he said.
What had started as a misunderstanding between friends had now spiralled into a murder charge.
Though initially convicted of mansla*ghter, the charges were later upgraded to murder, and he was sentenced to death by beheading.
"Despite the fact that I am happy to be back home, I deeply regret whatever happened. It’s a phase that I’d gradually have to get out of as time goes by. Whatever happened, I am deeply sorry about it," he said.
How was Munyakho released from Saudia Arabia prison?
Munyakho’s life was spared after Halim’s family agreed to accept diyya, or blood money, as compensation as permitted under Islamic law.
The Muslim World League, in conjunction with the Kenyan government raised a total of Ksh 129 million to secure his release.
After completing all court requirements and performing Umrah, Munyakho was freed and deported back to Kenya on Tuesday, July 22.
He described his arrival in Kenya as a miracle and a realisation of a dream he once considered far-fetched.
He had last visited the country in 2010, just a year before he was arrested, convicted and sentenced to death.
How did Munyakho's 5-year jail term turn into death sentence?
Initially, Munyakho was sentenced to five years in prison, but this was commuted to a death sentence just when he was about to be freed.
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He explained that under Sharia law, a convict is handed a public sentence and a private sentence. The five-year jail term was a public sentence handed down by the state. A private sentence is what the aggrieved party proclaims, and it supersedes a public sentence.
Munyakho explained that when his friend's family was called upon to make a proclamation, they demanded that he be sentenced to death, rejecting the option of blood money.
After a series of persuasion, they reconsidered their position and agreed to be compensated through blood money.
Masolo Mabonga, HOD Current Affairs and Politics, updated this article with details on how Munyakho's five-year jail term turned into a death sentence.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
