3 Kenyans, 1 Foreigner Found Guilty of Murder of Venezuelan Ambassador

Three Kenyans and a foreigner on Wednesday, January 25, were found guilty of the murder of the late Venezuelan envoy Olga Fonseca.

The diplomat was murdered in her Runda residence in Nairobi on July 26, 2012.

Immediately after the murder, Kenyan Police arrested the then-First Secretary Dwight Sagaray of the Venezuelan Embassy.

A file image of the judiciary

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He was arrested together with Ahmed Omindo, Alex Sifuna Wanyonyi, and Moses Kiprotich Kalya.

The First Secretary pleaded diplomatic immunity but the Venezuelan government lifted his immunity making it possible for him to stand trial.

While delivering the ruling, Justice Korir determined that the four had common intention as well as malice forethought for the murder of the late Fonseca.

The judge further determined that another suspect believed to have been part of the plan was still on the loose and a warrant of arrest was issued.

Relying on 37 prosecution witnesses and 39 exhibits, it was established that Sagaray and the envoy were embroiled in office wrangles.

The prosecutor told the Court that the four Kenyans had been promised jobs for their wives at the embassy if they murdered the ambassador.

Meetings to plot the murder were held at a coffee shop in Gigiri, Nairobi according to evidence tabled to the court.

During the ruling, Justice Korir determined that although Sagaray was not at the crime scene, he had masterminded the whole homicide.

Sagaray was the acting ambassador at the time Fonseca was murdered and he was expected to hand it over to her.

“The evidence shows that he neither wanted to relinquish his position nor hand power.

This power struggle provided the motive for Sagaray to eliminate Fonseca,” Justice Korir ruled.

The sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 16 and 17 as they are remanded at Industrial Prison.

3 Kenyans, 1 Foreigner Found Guilty of Murder of Venezuelan Ambassador

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