Nairobi, July 22- Steve Abdukareem Munyakho, a Kenyan man previously on death row in Saudi Arabia, has been released.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei confirmed Munyakho’s release on Tuesday at 10 a.m., following a judicial decree. He also noted that Munyakho performed Umra (minor pilgrimage) after his release, adding that more details on his return to Kenya would follow.
Munyakho had been imprisoned for over a decade after a 2011 altercation with a colleague turned fatal. His charge was later upgraded from manslaughter to murder, which carries the death penalty under Shariah law.
Earlier this year, the Muslim World League, supported by the Kenyan government and religious leaders, helped raise diyah (blood money) amounting to $1 million (Ksh 130 million), which led to the commutation of his sentence.
His mother, veteran journalist Dorothy Kweyu, had campaigned tirelessly for his freedom, with help from Supkem and other stakeholders. Supkem Chair Hassan Ole Naado said the case was treated with special consideration since there was no premeditated intent to kill.
diyah is compensation paid under Islamic law for murder, injury, or property damage and can lead to a reduced sentence or pardon. It is practiced in about 20 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and northern Nigeria.
