It was a relief for two men who had been imprisoned to death after a Court of Appeal sitting in Eldoret set them free. 

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The appellants Francis Kisanya Livedi and Herbert Wanjala Mangoli who have been in custody since the date of the judgment in the trial court, more than three years ago successfully appealed their cases.

Court of Appeals Judge Stephen Githinji released the duo sentenced to death over Robbery with Violence after the court found that the appeals are merited.

They had been accused of committing the offence at Musioma area within Lugari Sub-County in Kakamega.

61-year old Livedi and 40-year old Mangoli were on April 22, 2015, sentenced to death by the trial magistrate sitting in Eldoret but lodged their appeals on April 30, 2015, through their former lawyer before instructing lawyer Geoffrey Kisilia Okara to prosecute the appeals.

Okara made an application for consolidation of the two files which application was allowed.

With the appellants now free, they have to tackle fresh challenges in society. Livedi, a teacher by profession says he had lost his job after he was sentenced.

“I lost my profession as a secondary school teacher following my sentencing and this subjected my family to a lot of suffering since I was the breadwinner,” said the father of five. 

“As much as I would wish to go back to my profession, my age cannot allow me because I am now past the retirement age. All I want now is for the government and well-wishers to support me pick up the pieces with a business enterprise,” he added.

Mang’oli, on the other hand, said he had been doing casual jobs like baking bricks before the sentencing.

His wife had returned back to her parent’s home after he was sentenced to death.

“Apart from my wife going back to her parents with our two daughters, my house also collapsed because there was no one to take care of it,” said Mang'oli calling on well-wishers to help him rebuild his life.

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