Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Dr. Abraham Korir Singoei held a meeting with Dorothy Kweyu, mother of Stephen Munyakho (Stevo) in his office to discuss plans of saving him from execution in Saudi Arabia.
During the meeting on May 14, 2024, the PS assured her that the government has put in place all necessary measures, to ensure Steve returns home save.
“As promised, I met with Ms. Dorothy Kweyu, the mother of Stephen Bertrand Munyakho (Stevo) today.
“While acknowledging the monumental challenge related to the case of her son, I assured Mama Dorothy and the family that the Government would take all necessary measures to help Stephen come back home,” Korir noted in a statement posted on X.
This comes a day after Korir on Monday May 13, 2024 said that Saudi authorities agreed to postpone Munyakho’s execution pending further negotiations.
”The government is engaging with Saudi authorities to extend the deadline for the capital punishment,” PS said
Stevo has been in Saudi for 13 years after being involved in a fight with a colleague in April 2011 which resulted in colleague’s death, identified as Yemeni.
The family of the deceased is demanding Ksh150 million as blood money, a compensation under Sharia Law, in order to spare Munyakho’s life.
Stevo’s family has been trying to raise approximately Ksh.150 million as blood money to pay the family of the deceased.
The execution was due on May 15, 2024 but has been postponed to allow further negotiations.
”I am deeply grateful to inform that authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have kindly granted our request to postpone the impending execution of Stephen Munyakho (now as Abdulkareem),to allow for further negotiations between all parties,” the PS said on X.
The postponement of the execution provides a window of opportunity for the Kenyan government to intensify efforts to save Munyakho and potentially negotiate his return to Kenya.
The case has earned significant attention and highlights the complexities of international law and diplomatic relations.
