Former Likoni OCS sentenced to life in prison for killing an unarmed suspect

The High Court in Mombasa has sentenced a former Likoni Officer Commanding Station (OCS) to life imprisonment for the 2018 murder of a 20-year-old man in Mwenza Village, Likoni.

Appearing before Lady Justice Wendy Kagendo Micheni, the accused, Yunus Athman, was handed the sentence after he was found guilty of killing Mbaraka Maitha Omar during an attempted arrest over alleged goat theft.

In her ruling, the judge said the court had considered mitigation, the pre-sentence report and a victim impact statement before settling on a custodial term for the remainder of his natural life.

“The court had considered mitigation, the pre-sentence report, and the victim impact statement before settling on a custodial term for the remainder of his natural life,” she stated according to a statement by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP).

During then hearing, the prosecution called more than 20 witnesses in a bid to prove its case against the former chief inspector.

The testimonies placed Athman at the scene and challenged claims that the victim posed any threat at the time of the shooting.

Witnesses told the court that the deceased was unarmed and did not resist arrest but Athman still fired several shots, killing the young man on the spot.

In delivering the sentence, Justice Micheni noted that as a police officer, the convict had a statutory duty to protect life but instead used unlawful force against a defenseless civilian.

She further observed that abuse of state power strikes at the heart of justice and must attract a deterrent penalty.

Family members of the victim told the court they continue to suffer psychological trauma following the killing, describing the act as malicious and a betrayal of public trust.

Athman was given the right to exercise his right to appeal within 14 days against both the conviction and sentence.