Stephen Munyakho back in Kenya after 14 years behind bars in Saudi Arabia

Munyakho, who has since adopted the name Abdulkareem, arrived in Nairobi shortly before midnight on a flight from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

His return marked the end of a tumultuous chapter for his family, who had waited over a decade under extremely difficult conditions for his release.

According to a statement from the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, Munyakho’s release followed the completion of judicial processes in Saudi Arabia, culminating in his freedom on July 22, 2025.

Munyakho had been working as a warehouse manager in Saudi Arabia when he was involved in a violent altercation with a Yemeni colleague in April 2011.

The colleague later died from his injuries, leading to Munyakho’s initial sentencing of five years for manslaughter. However, the verdict was later overturned on appeal, and the charge was elevated to murder, resulting in a death sentence by beheading.

The execution was postponed after the victim’s family agreed to accept diyya (blood money), a form of financial compensation permitted under Islamic law.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi intervened in the case, writing to the Saudi Foreign Minister to seek clemency for Munyakho. Earlier this year, the Kenyan government, with support from the Muslim World League, raised Ksh129 million to settle the compensation claim.

Following the settlement, Munyakho was granted his freedom and performed Umrah (the minor pilgrimage) before being transferred from Shimeisi Prison in the Mecca Governorate to a deportation centre, where he awaited clearance to return home.

Munyakho’s homecoming has been described by his family as nothing short of a miracle, bringing closure to a case that had gripped the nation’s attention for years.