Stephen Munyakho finally returned home to Kenya on Monday evening after spending 14 years on death row in Saudi Arabia.
His arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport was emotional as family, friends, and government officials came together to welcome him back. Munyakho, who now goes by the name Abdulkareem, landed shortly before midnight on a flight from Jeddah.
His return was the end of a long and painful wait for his family, who had endured over a decade of emotional and financial hardship hoping to see him free again.
The Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary confirmed that his release came after a long legal process in Saudi Arabia, with his freedom officially granted on July 22, 2025.
Munyakho had gone to Saudi Arabia for work and had been employed as a warehouse manager when his life took a tragic turn in April 2011.
He got into a fight with a Yemeni colleague, and unfortunately, the colleague later died from the injuries.
At first, Munyakho was sentenced to five years in prison for manslaughter. However, the situation became worse when the verdict was overturned and changed to murder.
This new charge led to a death sentence by beheading. For many years, his fate remained uncertain.
Hope came when the family of the victim agreed to accept diyya, or blood money, which is allowed under Islamic law as compensation for the death.
The Kenyan government got involved in trying to save Munyakho’s life. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi wrote to the Saudi Foreign Minister to request clemency.
This diplomatic effort, together with help from the Muslim World League, helped raise Ksh129 million to pay the compensation amount required by the victim’s family.
After this money was paid, Munyakho was granted his freedom. Before returning to Kenya, he performed Umrah, a minor Islamic pilgrimage, as a way of giving thanks.
He was then transferred from Shimeisi Prison in the Mecca Governorate to a deportation centre, where he waited for final clearance to travel back to Kenya.
When Munyakho finally walked out of the airport, his family members could not hold back their tears.
To them, this moment felt like a miracle. After 14 years of uncertainty and fear, they could finally hug him again and see him free.
The case had attracted national attention over the years, with many Kenyans following closely and hoping for a happy ending. Now, with his return, the family can begin to heal and move forward.
