Dorothy Kweyu, a distraught mother from Kenya, finds herself in a race against time as her son, Stephen Bertrand Munyakho alias Stevo. Ste...
Dorothy Kweyu, a distraught mother from Kenya, finds herself in a race against time as her son, Stephen Bertrand Munyakho alias Stevo. Stephen faces imminent execution in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia unless his family can raise Ksh150 million “blood money” by May 15, 2024.
Stephen, 37, was convicted of manslaughter and has been in different prisons abroad for 13 years. He is currently detained in Shimeisi prison in Makkah.
Where it all Started
Stephen got into a fight with his Yemeni workmate in April 2011.
Reportedly, Stephen and a relative worked at a boutique where his relative stole money and fled to Kenya. As punishment, the owner initially withheld Stephen’s pay until the stolen funds were returned, though the owner later changed their mind. However, Stephen, unpaid for six months, confronted the accountant responsible for payments. And they got into a fight.
Unfortunately after the fight, the workmate died and Stephen was arrested, tried and sentenced to five years in prison for his role in the man’s death.
Death Sentence
But the deceased’s family wanted a life for a life. They insisted on “qisas” or equal retaliation. And in 2014, Stevo’s prison sentence was changed to a death sentence.
The death sentence, however, was not carried out then because the deceased’s child had to be 18 years old to give consent.
“My son was sentenced to death by the sword, but this would not be carried out immediately because a child from the Yemeni family was involved. He had to be 18 to have a say on the execution of his father’s killer,”
Dorothy Kweyu told the Nation.
Blood Money Option
The other option is the ‘diya” or “blood money,” which is applicable for manslaughter to compensate the deceased family’s loss. Initially, the family demanded Saudi Arabia Riyals (SAR) 10 million, but after negotiations, it was later reduced to SAR 3.5 million (Ksh 150 million). Failure to raise it by May 15, 2024, will result in the death sentence standing.
As of six days ago, the amount raised was Ksh 2.5 million. Dorothy Kweyu revealed the Diaspora community in Saudi Arabia raised Ksh 2.2 million, and family and friends have contributed Ksh 300,000.
With the deadline for the blood money fast approaching, Dorothy Kweyu appeals to one million Kenyans to contribute Ksh 150 each, clinging to hope for a “miracle” to bring her son, Stephen, back home.
By Vivian K.
The post KENYAN MOM TO PAY 150M BLOOD MONEY FOR SON FACING SAUDI EXECUTION appeared first on BNN.
