Samuel Kibet Cherutich has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for killing his father, Reuben Chemwetich Cherutich, following a plea-bargaining agreement that reduced his murder charge to manslaughter.
High Court Judge Mumbua T. Matheka handed down the sentence at the High Court in Kabarnet after Samuel pleaded guilty to manslaughter, contrary to Section 202 as read with Section 205 of the Penal Code. The accused had initially faced a murder charge under Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code before entering into a plea-bargaining agreement on June 9, 2026.
The court heard that the incident occurred on September 5, 2020, at around 2 p.m. in Turtur village, Kabutie Location, Baringo North Sub-County. According to prosecution evidence, Samuel killed his father after the deceased warned him against trespassing on his land. Angered by the warning, he reportedly retrieved a bow and arrow and shot his father in the chest, killing him.
In her sentencing remarks, Justice Matheka acknowledged that the offender had been forgiven by his family but maintained that the forgiveness did not diminish the gravity of the offence. The judge noted that the disagreement over land did not justify resorting to violence, adding that the accused could have sought the intervention of village elders or pursued alternative ways of resolving the dispute.
The prosecution was led by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Claire Kosgei and prosecution counsel Sidney Koech.
