Consider the plight of a neurosurgeon, Clement Munyao Katiku, who found himself facing a 30-year prison sentence for a crime he adamantly denies committing.
His journey into this Kafkaesque ordeal began amidst a seemingly innocuous encounter.Clement, a distinguished alumnus of the University of Nairobi, boasting degrees in both Medicine and Surgery, embarked on a promising career path. Further academic accolades followed with postgraduate studies in Human Medicine and Pathology, culminating in a master’s degree.
His pursuit of knowledge led him to Scotland, UK, where he acquired expertise in Human Forensics and Pathology.
However, in 2009, Clement’s life took an unexpected turn. Amidst preparations for his daughter’s enrollment at Moi Kabarak University, a trivial request for a mobile phone spiraled into a nightmare.Responding to a young man’s urgent plea for financial assistance for a funeral in Makueni, Clement exchanged money for a phone.Unbeknownst to him, this seemingly benevolent act would entangle him in a web of misfortune.
Responding to a young man’s urgent plea for financial assistance for a funeral in Makueni, Clement exchanged money for a phone.Unbeknownst to him, this seemingly benevolent act would entangle him in a web of misfortune.
Subsequent calls from an unidentified number and a startling revelation from his employer, involving his daughter’s arrest alongside her boyfriend, Justus, at Kilimani police station, marked the beginning of Clement’s legal odyssey.
The phone, initially acquired for his daughter’s convenience, emerged as a crucial piece of evidence in a high-profile case involving the brother of former police chief Mathiu Iteere, who fell victim to a fatal robbery. Despite Clement’s insistence on the phone’s legitimate purchase, the unfolding investigation ensnared nine individuals, including his daughter’s boyfriend and Iteere’s household staff.
Forced to defend his innocence remotely, Clement faced a harrowing trial that culminated in a death sentence, a verdict upheld upon appeal. Reflecting on his incarceration, Clement emphasizes the perils of systemic flaws within the justice system, advocating for expedited legal proceedings to avert such injustices.
His ordeal serves as a poignant reminder of the grave consequences of unchecked mass incarceration, resonating with countless individuals subjected to unwarranted punishment within Kenya’s judicial landscape.
