*KENYA – A Kenyan court has sentenced a 24-year-old jail beauty queen todeath for murdering her boyfriend by stabbing him 25 times, drawingcriticism from rights groups who called the punishment “inhumane”.*
Ruth Kamande, who won a prison beauty pageant while awaiting trial, slashedher partner Farid Mohammed, 24, to death in 2015 and was convicted in May.
“I want young people to know that it is not cool to kill your boyfriend orgirlfriend even where you feel disappointed or frustrated — don’t do it,”said High Court judge Jessie Lesiit passing sentence on Thursday.
“Instead, it is cool to walk away and thereafter to forgive.”
The judge accused Kamande of “manipulative” behaviour that includedaccessing the victim’s mobile phone as well as showing no remorse for thevicious attack which left “blood all over” the crime scene.
“I think passing any other sentence than the one prescribed (death) wouldturn the accused into a hero,” said Lesiit.
Rights group Amnesty International called the sentence “cruel, inhumane andoutdated”.
“This sentence is a blow to Kenya’s progressive record in commuting deathsentences to terms of imprisonment,” said Amnesty director Irungu Houghton.
The victim’s family insisted the sentence matched the crime.
“We’re glad that this day came and his grandparents, his sister wereactually in court today when this verdict was given,” the victim’s tearfulaunt Emmah Wanjiku told reporters after the sentencing.
“He had just started his job when his life was cut short.”
Kamande’s lawyer Joyner Okonjo said she would appeal the sentence.
Kenya has an effective ban on carrying out death sentences and no death rowprisoner has been executed since 1987.
The country’s Supreme Court ruled in December 2017 that the mandatory deathsentence for murder and armed robbery was unconstitutional, according tothe Death Penalty Information Center.
The death sentence remains on the statute books however. – APP/AFP