File image of Nicholas Koskei and his late wife Rhoda Mumbi Mutua.
The Naivasha High Court has found former United Nations (UN) employee Nicholas Koskei guilty of the murder of his wife at Jacaranda Lake Elementaita Lodge in Gilgil, Nakuru County.
While delivering the judgment, Justice Richard Mwongo ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt that Koskei was involved in the murder of his wife Rhoda Mumbi Mutua.
The court found that the murder was premeditated and that the accused had meticulously planned and executed the crime.
The Office of the Director Of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in a statement said Kokei lured his late wife to Jacaranda Lake Elementaita Lodge.
“The evidence presented before the court detailed how the accused lured the deceased to the lodge on 8th July 2017 under the guise of a romantic getaway, ostensibly to celebrate his 36th birthday and resolve their marital differences,” read the statement in part.
However, the trip culminated in tragedy when Mumbi was discovered dead in the bathtub of their hotel room later that night.
The prosecution, led by Counsel Nelly Maingi, paraded 17 witnesses, who pieced together events leading to Mumbi’s death as forensic evidence, witness testimonies, and circumstantial evidence collectively established Koskei’s role in the crime.
The case was prosecuted under Section 203 as read together with Section 204 of the Penal Code, which criminalizes the unlawful killing of another person with malice aforethought.
Following the judgment, Justice Mwongo directed that a pre-sentencing probation report be compiled and submitted within 21 days.
The sentencing hearing is set for March 27, 2025, where the court will consider the report before issuing the final sentence.
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