Kakamega court sentences former cop to life in prison for killing his wife

Friday, 24th February 2023

A court on Thursday sentenced a former police officer to life in prison after he was found guilty of killing his wife in March 2019.

The former Administration Police officer, Patrick Nyapara, shot 24-year – old Christine Maonga in the head after a domestic quarrel. 

Nyapara allegedly suspected his wife, who was a teacher at Navakholo secondary school of infidelity.

Justice Wiliam Musyoka of the Kakamega High Court found the suspect guilty of murder after months of prosecution. She noted that the evidence produced before her indicated that the convict had a clear intent to kill because the bullet hit his victim in the head and not any other part of the body.

The ruling was welcomed by Maonga’s family, led by her father Fredrick Okumu and mother Rebecca Maonga.

The Judge in her ruling pointed out that the role of a police officer is to “secure the community however the accused breached the same trust.”

According to reports, on the day Nyapara pulled the trigger that ended his wife’s life, he was in charge of the local police station’s armory.

He took advantage of the responsibility bestowed upon him and took a loaded gun without the required due process, before heading to Maonga’s home and killing her.

The judge ruled on February 20 that he was guilty, and went ahead to read the convict’s sentence on February 23.

Nyapara had pleaded with the court to show leniency, arguing that he was a first time offender and was remorseful.