Moi’s Bridge carpenter who murdered his ex-girlfriend jailed for 45 years
A file picture of Mustafa Idd, who has been convicted and jailed for 45 years for murdering his girlfriend Emma Wanyota on September 30, 2019 at Moi's Bridge in Uasin Gishu County.
What you need to know:
- Documents that were availed in court indicated that the deceased was raped before her legs were chopped off.
- The judge said the convict deserved a death sentence, were it not that capital punishment was abolished in Kenya.
Mustafa Idd, the 40-year-old carpenter from Moi’s Bridge who brutally murdered his 21-year-old ex-girlfriend four years ago, will spend the next 45 years in jail.
While delivering the sentence on Tuesday at the High Court in Eldoret, Justice Reuben Nyakundi said there was overwhelming evidence that Mustafa murdered Emma Wanyotta, by hacking her into pieces and dumping the bodies parts in a napier grass farm and an animal shed adjacent to the home of the deceased.
At the time of her death, the deceased was a final year student at Verah Beauty College in Eldoret town.
The brutal murder happened on September 30, 2019, at Emma’s parents’ home in Moi’s Bridge, Uasin Gishu County after the two broke up.
Documents that were availed in court indicated that the deceased was raped before her legs were chopped off.
Justice Nyakundi observed that the evidence produced in court against Mustafa was overwhelming. The court noted the convict's mitigation, through his lawyer Rioba Omboto, was not convincing.
“How you killed her was very inhumane. You had a chance to protect her but instead, you turned against her,” Justice Nyakundi said while delivering the sentence.
The judge noted that on the fateful day, Mustafa subjected his victim to torture before brutally murdering her.
“It was a horrific death as some of the body parts of the deceased were missing while others had been buried in shallow graves in their family land. She did not deserve to lose her life in such a brutal manner,” the judge said as the convict listened pensively from the dock.
According to the family of the deceased, the convict has threatened Emma with dire consequences after their relationship ended.
Emma's twin sister, Sharon Wanyotta, told the court that Mustafa was well-known to them as her sister's ex-boyfriend.
“Before my sister was killed she had said she feared for her life following his threats,” Ms Sharon told the court.
She also told the court that even after her late sister had made a firm decision to end the relationship, the convict continued pestering and threatening her.
"After parting ways with my sister in August (2019), he had been threatening her and all the male contacts in her phonebook," the sister told the court during a past hearing.
Emma's family, through her mother Ms Beatrice Wanyota and her sister Sharon, had earlier appealed for a life sentence for the accused person after the court found him guilty of the murder charge.
Ms Beatrice Wanyotta (left), the mother of the late Emma Wanyotta and Mustafa Idd, the convicted murderer.
During the sentencing, the courtroom was jammed with members Emma’s family, her former college mates, friends and relatives.
At one point, Emma's mother broke down in the courtroom and was led out to regain her composure.
The judge said the convict deserved a death sentence, were it not that capital punishment was abolished in Kenya.
“What you did to someone’s daughter could have earned you a death sentence. Since the law has changed, this court has sentenced you to serve a jail term of 45 years in prison,” Justice Nyakundi said.
Mustafa, on the other hand, expressed remorse over his action and pleaded for leniency from the court.
“My client is very remorseful of his actions. As a result he is begging this court to be lenient to him during the sentencing,” his lawyer told the court.
Cases of gender-based violence stemming from love gone sour have sharply increased in the country over the last few years.
The High Court in Eldoret is expected to make rulings in four more cases this year, including on the murder of Moi University Student Ivy Wangeci by her estranged lover three years ago.
