Written By Michelle Ndaga
A 25-year-old plumber from Kwale County has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) successfully proved his involvement in the brutal murder of a businessman six years ago.
High Court Judge Hon. Francis Andayi found Fikirini Juma Hassan, also known as County Mbili, guilty of murdering Ali Noor on the night of 28th July 2019 at Denyenye village in Ngombeni, Matuga Sub-County.
He was convicted of murder contrary to Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code.
The case, prosecuted by Principal Prosecution Counsel Vallerie Ongeti, was determined to have been proven beyond reasonable doubt, underscoring the DPP’s commitment to pursuing justice for victims of violent crime. Two other suspects implicated in the killing remain at large.
According to court records, the deceased and his friend had attended a music event at Bidi Badu Club in Diani on the night of July 27, 2019. At around 3 a.m., they left for home on Noor’s motorcycle and dropped off another friend before proceeding towards Ngombeni.
Upon reaching the Denyenye area, a group of men ambushed them, pelting them with stones. The motorcycle crashed, and while Noor’s companion managed to crawl into nearby bushes to hide, Noor was cornered and attacked with stones and pangas.
In his testimony, the survivor identified four of the assailants Raul Abdul Noor, Fikirini Juma Hassan, Salmin, and Fadhili before the attackers fled.
The victim was rushed to Manyatta Hospital in Likoni and later transferred to Coast General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on July 31, 2019.
Police investigations led to the arrest of Fikirini and Raul, both positively identified by the eyewitness. The court noted that the attackers did not steal anything from the victims, ruling out robbery as a motive and concluding that the intent was purely to kill.
In delivering judgment, Hon. Andayi stated that the prosecution had presented consistent, credible, and corroborated evidence linking Fikirini to the crime. He emphasized that the brutality of the attack warranted a severe penalty, sentencing the accused to 25 years imprisonment.
The conviction marks another success for the ODPP in ensuring accountability for violent crimes and upholding the rule of law in Kenya’s criminal justice system.
