A former high school principal who hatched and executed a plan to kill her husband was today sentenced to 30 years imprisonment by a Nakuru High Court.
Jane Muthoni, who is a former Principal of Icaciri Girls Secondary School was convicted for the murder of Solomon Mwangi, who at the time of his death, was the Principal of Kiru boys.
Justice Joel Ngugi, also ordered that Muthoni’s co accused Isaac Ng’ang’a alias ‘Gikuyu’ serve 30 years in prison for the murder.
Justice Ngugi Directed that Muthoni’s custodial sentence run effective from November 22, 2016 when she was first arraigned in court, while that of Ng’ang’a was backdated to December 28, 2016 when he was remanded in custody.
The two had been accused of conspiring to kill Mwangi, the former Principal of Kiru Secondary School, in November 2016.
The Prosecution led by Ms Martha Mwaniki, had prayed to the Court to send the accused persons to the gallows as they were unremorseful and that the former Kiiru High School Principal died a brutal death.
However, Muthoni’s family pleaded for leniency on May 18, 2021 when her daughter, June Mbithi, stated that their mother was the sole provider.
Mbithi informed the Court that she and her siblings had faced a tough time since her mother was taken into custody.
“We all want justice for my father. He was my best friend but the absence of my parents has been so hard for my siblings and me for the past five years. We request the Court to have mercy on my mum.
I know it can’t be undone but we don’t have anyone we can fully rely on. All that time, we have been depending on third parties including relatives and friends,” she had pleaded.
Ms. Mwaniki had submitted that Muthoni, the former Principal of Icaciri Secondary School in Kiambu, hired criminals, including Ng’ang’a, to kill Mwangi on suspicions that he was having a love affair with another woman.
In his judgment, Justice Ngugi, said the prosecution proved its case against the duo beyond any reasonable doubt.
“The killing was premeditated and well planned by a depraved and vengeful spouse and not an accidental killer who poorly responded to a spontaneous circumstance.
A stiff custodial sentence against the accused is merited as the only suitable way to express societal condemnation for the accused person’s conduct,” he said, while delivering the verdict, Thursday, June 3.
The Judge said that accused persons had enormous opportunities to walk back from their heinous plan and with each opportunity they chose the path of death.
“The deceased was stupefied by a sedative to render him helpless and manually strangled in two stages first inside a hired vehicle and later at the scene where his body was found. This ruthless murder calls for a stiff sentence,”Justice Ngugi stated.
Mwangi had been reported missing on November 6, 2016. His mutilated body would, eight days later – on November 14, 2016 – be found dumped in a coffee plantation in Juja, Kiambu County.
His widow, Muthoni, and her co-accused, Ng’ang’a, were later arrested in connection with the killing.
By Jane Ngugi
