A man who killed his wife by throwing a burning stove on her has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
John Mathenge, 31, was convicted by Nanyuki Resident Judge Mary Kasango who noted that the prosecution had proved beyond doubt that the accused murdered his wife after a beer drinking spree.
Mathenge had asked the court to hand him a non-custodial sentence saying that he was remorseful, was now a born again Christian and would never touch alcohol in life.
“The court has noted that you are remorseful but the trauma you subjected you son who was only aged three unimaginable trauma. The family of the deceased and the community is still bitter with your action,” said Justice Kasango before announcing the sentence.
Mathenge had been charged with the murder of his wife Mary Wanjiku Kanyi on December 11, 2015 at Likii Estate, Laikipia County.
The court heard how on the night of the material day, Mathenge came to the house drunk, started insulting his wife while demanding for food but refused to eat when served and instead went to bed. After two hours of sleep, he woke up and went to the table room where he lit a paraffin cooking stove.
When the wife followed him to find what he was up to, Mathenge threw the burning stove at her, causing 63percent burns on her body.
Wanjiku died at Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital, 48 days after admission.
Mathenge was convicted on January 30 this year but was not sentenced then after the court asked the children’s officer to prepare a report on the possible effects the death of the mother could have had on the only child who had witnessed her mother being attacked with a burning stove.
“When asked about the whereabouts of his mother is, he responded that she had gone to heaven while his father had been taken away by police officers,” part of the report from the children’s department.
Justice Kasango directed that as Mathenge serves the sentence, the Laikipia Probation Office and the prison authorities subject him to anger management programmes.
The court also ruled that the boy who is now aged five be enrolled in a counselling programme to assist him over trauma that has contributed in poor performance in school.