Kapenguria High Court has convicted three men of murder after they were found guilty of killing a suspected witch.
Justice Ruth Sitati jailed the three after the prosecution convinced her that they murdered 72-year-old Ringetiang Tomeluk and burnt his body, over witchcraft allegations.
Samson Ringetiang, a witness, said that the three; Benson Muketiang, Richard Rimoi and Wilson Romereng killed the deceased in Chepkuikui village in Pokot Central.
He told the court that he was also present in a meeting where the killing of the deceased was agreed on before the three proceeded to murder him brutally.
The incident, the court heard, happened at 5:00 pm on December 28, 2017.
“During the meeting, the deceased was beaten hard and dragged along the ground. His hands were tied by and then burnt,” he told the court.
Dr Jotham Mukhola, Medical Superintendent at Kapenguria County Hospital, confirmed that the deceased was murdered after pathological tests showed acute bleeding.
He also cited 60 per cent burns, carbon deposits in his lungs, as a result of smoke inhalation and multiple bruises.
In her ruling, the judge slapped the three with 25-year jail term for murdering the deceased giving them 14 days to appeal the judgement.
“From all the foregoing, I am satisfied that the prosecution beyond proved that charge of murder against each of the three accused persons beyond reasonable doubt. In the circumstances I sentence each accused person to 25 years imprisonment,” she said.