The execution deadline for Stephen (Stevo) Munyakho, a Kenyan jailed in Saudi Arabia, has been extended by four months, according to a statement by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei. Munyakho now has until November 26, 2024, to collect the required compensation.
Sing’oei urged Kenyans to help raise the necessary funds, which amount to 3.5 million Saudi Riyals (approximately Sh120 million). He assured that the government is actively working to resolve the matter and bring Munyakho home, lauding the Kenya Mission in Riyadh for their dedicated efforts.
Munyakho was involved in a fatal fight with a colleague, Abdul Halim Mujahid Makrad Saleh, in April 2011, resulting in Saleh’s death. Munyakho was convicted of manslaughter in October 2011, a sentence later enhanced to murder by a Shariah court in June 2014. Since then, he has been imprisoned in various Saudi prisons, facing the possibility of execution by beheading, as dictated by Sharia law.
The execution of Stephen Munyakho was delayed initially because one of the victim’s sons was a minor and had to reach the age of majority to give consent under Sharia law. Originally scheduled for May 13, the execution date was postponed after reported diplomatic engagements by government officials.
Subsequently, negotiations led to an agreement in 2019 where the Yemeni family agreed to accept blood money amounting to 10 million riyals, equivalent to Sh352.2 million. This amount was later reduced to 3.5 million riyals in November, which is over Sh120 million.
The family provided a paybill number, 8056675, for contributions, with the account number being the name of the contributor. Contributions can also be made through the send money option using the number 0702878717 (Dorothy Musopole).
