KENYAN MAN FREED FROM SAUDI DEATH ROW AFTER 13 YEARS BEHIND BARS

A Kenyan national who had been facing execution in Saudi Arabia for over a decade has finally been freed and is expected to return home after nearly 13 years behind bars.
Stephen Bertrand Munyakho, also known as Stevo, was released after a blood money settlement of KSh 129.5 million was paid to the family of the deceased victim. The payment, facilitated by the Muslim World League, marked a major diplomatic breakthrough in a case that had gripped the nation for years.
Munyakho was arrested in April 2011 following an altercation with a Yemeni colleague, Abdul Halim Mujahid Makrad Saleh, who later died. He was initially convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to five years in prison. However, the case took a grim turn when the Sharia Court in Saudi Arabia overturned the verdict on appeal and imposed a death sentence.
His execution by beheading had been scheduled for May 2024, but was postponed as diplomatic efforts between Kenya and Saudi Arabia intensified. The Kenyan government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with the support of President William Ruto, engaged in high-level negotiations to save Munyakho's life.
UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar, who was actively involved in the negotiations, confirmed that the Muslim World League stepped in with the full settlement amount earlier this year, leading to the formal release process.
“Munyakho’s freedom is a testament to what diplomacy, faith, and determination can achieve,” Omar said.
He had been held at the notorious Shimeisi Prison in the Mecca region since his conviction. His release brings to an end nearly 14 years of life on death row and 18 years in detention overall.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said arrangements are underway to facilitate his safe return to Kenya, where he is expected to be reunited with his family.
This case has reignited conversations about the welfare of Kenyan migrant workers in the Middle East and the need for continued support and protection for citizens working abroad.