A Narok businesswoman accused of murdering her husband‘s lover was yesterday sentenced to life imprisonment by a Nakuru court.
Nancy Soila was stunned after the court handed her a life sentence for the offence of murder which she was charged with.
Lady Justice Roseline Wendoh, who delivered the judgement, said that the court was satisfied by evidence produced in court by five witnesses who testified.
“The evidence given in this court leaves no doubt that you committed the heinous act. l will therefore accordingly convict you to serve as an example to would-be offenders,” said Wendoh.
Soila had been charged with stabbing Mary Wanjiku Chege three years ago at Enoosupukia area in Narok County.
In her previous testimony in court, she had distanced herself from the murder, saying that she learnt about the death of Wanjiku when in police custody.
She had told the court that on the ill-fated night of October 7 2011, she welcomed the deceased, who had accompanied her husband to spend the night in her househelp’s room.
Soila said that her husband of three years then, Peter Ntaiya, arrived home drunk at around 10pm, quarreled her before a fight ensued between the two.
She said that the fight was quelled minutes later by neighbours.
Ntaiya said he welcomed the deceased to their home where she had come in search of a farm to lease.
He said he came home at night and went to talk with the deceased before his wife stormed into the room with broken window glasses and used them to stab her.
However, the accused’s lawyer, Olali Cheche, said the investigating officer and the arresting officer have not been called to testify in the case.
“There is no evidence to warrant conviction in this case. There is a lot of benefit of doubt in the case which should go to the accused and be acquitted," Cheche emphasized.
The prosecution in their part maintained that Soila murdered the visitor and was arrested the same night and taken to police custody.
In her mitigation she told the court that she was young woman with a young family and urged the court to be lenient on its judgement.
However, the judge said that on considering the magnitude of the offence committed she deserved life imprisonment. She was given 14 days to appeal.