Stephen Munyakho, a Kenyan national recently repatriated from Saudi Arabia, has shared harrowing details of the 14 years he spent on death row following a fatal altercation in 2011. His story, marked by legal complexities, cultural nuances, and an extraordinary delay in execution, is a sobering reminder of the intersection between justice and mercy under Sharia law.

Munyakho had been living and working in Saudi Arabia since 1996. In April 2011, an altercation with a Yemeni colleague tragically ended in death. Initially sentenced to five years for accidental killing, his case took a dramatic turn when the deceased’s family rejected compensation and demanded capital punishment. This decision—guided by the principle of private rights under Sharia law—overrode the public court ruling, resulting in a death sentence in 2016.

However, Munyakho’s execution was delayed due to a unique stipulation: under Sharia law, the children of the deceased must reach the age of majority before a final decision on the sentence can be made. This delay opened a window for negotiations between Munyakho’s representatives and the victim’s family.

“That condition gave us a lifeline,” Munyakho shared during a televised interview. “It bought us time to negotiate and appeal for mercy.”

Saudi Arabia’s dual legal system—balancing public and private rights—played a pivotal role in the unfolding of Munyakho’s case. Despite an initial offer of 120,000 riyal in blood money (diyya), the victim’s family insisted on execution, leveraging their right under private law. It was only through sustained diplomatic efforts and community support that negotiations for compensation resumed. At one point, the family demanded 10 million riyal (approximately Ksh.400 million), a figure later contested and brought into formal legal channels through Saudi government intervention.

Munyakho’s return to Kenya marks the end of a long and painful chapter. He expressed profound gratitude to fellow Kenyans and the government for their unwavering support throughout his incarceration and the complex legal process that followed.

His story is not just one of personal endurance, but also a testament to the power of diplomacy, legal navigation across cultures, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.