Eldoret Police Officer Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Killing Wife
Muigai, who was attached to the Eldoret Railways Police Station, was found to have fatally shot his wife while intoxicated on the afternoon of November 28, 2023. The incident occurred at the couple’s home within the Railways police line in Uasin Gishu County
The High Court in Eldoret has sentenced a police officer, Maxwell Maina Muigai, to 15 years in prison after finding him guilty of murdering his wife, Mercy Chebet, three years ago
Muigai, who was attached to the Eldoret Railways Police Station, was found to have fatally shot his wife while intoxicated on the afternoon of November 28, 2023. The incident occurred at the couple’s home within the Railways police line in Uasin Gishu County
In his ruling, Justice Reuben Nyakundi noted that Muigai shot Chebet with an AK-47 rifle without provocation. The judge stated that despite the accused entering a plea bargain with the victim’s family, the severity of the crime and its circumstances did not warrant a non-custodial sentence
According to court testimony, Muigai shot Chebet twice in the chest before returning to his workstation and continuing his duties as though nothing had happened. She succumbed to her injuries while being rushed to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret
Among the key witnesses was Pastor Rebecca Kipchumba of the African Inland Church, who lived next door to the couple. She recounted watching helplessly as Muigai, who was allegedly drunk, shot his wife after she refused to open the door to their one-bedroom house
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The cleric further testified that after the shooting, Muigai told her not to bother calling for help, claiming his wife was already dead
The ruling brings closure to a case that shocked the Eldoret police community and renewed calls for stricter control of firearms among officers, particularly in domestic settings
Writer : Mweru Mbugua
