Farm worker gets justice as attacker’s appeal dismissed

September 21, 2005 will forever be etched in Kibe Mbana’s mind, 20 years on, the wounds have long healed, but the memory is still fresh.

It was around 2 pm, when Mbana, a tea farm supervisor in Limuru at the time, found himself fighting for his life.

Alone in a small building, waiting to weigh the day’s harvest, he was ambushed by three men—one armed with a pistol and another with a panga.

They demanded money. When Mbana said he had none, the men turned brutal—slashing him with the blade, tearing his clothes, and stealing his Sh1,500 wristwatch.

Bleeding from the head and arms, Kibe screamed for help. His cries alerted nearby workers. Among them was Nyutu Munga, who instantly recognised two of the attackers: one  was Samuel Njuguna, a man Mbana said he had known since 1963.

As workers rushed to the scene, one assailant pointed the pistol at them, scattering some in fear. But Nyutu realised the gun wasn’t functional. He rallied his co-workers and together they gave chase. The attackers ran into a nearby coffee plantation—but only Njuguna was caught. The other two escaped.

Later, Mbana was taken to hospital with multiple injuries, including deep cuts and trauma to his limbs. His story—and the testimony of witnesses like Nyutu—formed the backbone of the trial.

Njuguna claimed he had been wrongly arrested while walking along Githiga road. He said a pickup vehicle stopped him and someone in the vehicle asked about some men running and then falsely accused him. But the court didn’t believe him.

In a ruling by the Limuru Magistrate’s court, Njuguna was found guilty of robbery with violence and sentenced to death in 2006. The High Court upheld the verdict in 2009.

Still, Njuguna fought on, he moved to the Court of Appeal, arguing the sentence was too harsh and the evidence too scanty.

On May 2 this year, however, three judges dismissed his final appeal, ruling that the conviction was sound and the sentence legally appropriate.

The ruling means Njuguna will remain on death row—nearly two decades after the attack.

For Mbana, the scars may never fully fade. But with this ruling, he says he feels justice has been served at last.

“I knew him. He knew me,” Mbana said quietly. “He just didn’t expect I’d live long enough to see him pay for it.”

Instant Analysis

This case shows that time does not erase truth. For victims, justice—no matter how delayed—can still bring peace.