Former Kenya Sevens rugby player Alex Olaba has suffered a major setback after the High Court dismissed his appeal and upheld his six-year prison sentence for attempting to kill a witness in a gang-rape case.
In a detailed ruling, the court found that the conviction by the trial court was properly grounded and that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence linking Olaba to the plot to eliminate the witness.
The judge noted that the conspiracy to commit murder was clearly demonstrated through recorded conversations and a Ksh 10,000 down payment made to an undercover police officer who posed as a hitman.
“I found from the evidence that PW2 met PW3 and discussed the commission of the offence, which had been previously discussed with the appellant. PW3 was a police officer disguising as a hitman,” the court observed.
The High Court further held that the trial magistrate had carefully considered Olaba’s defence, submissions, and mitigation before imposing the six-year sentence, terming it both fair and proportionate.
“The sentence in all counts to run concurrently is fair,” the judge concluded.
The decision cements Olaba’s conviction, marking the end of his bid to overturn the ruling in a case that stemmed from an alleged attempt to silence a key witness in a previous gang-rape matter
