Kisumu man jailed 12 years for killing wife in brutal assault

A Kisumu man has been handed a 12-year prison sentence for the manslaughter of his wife of 18 years, according to a High Court ruling. Jared Otieno Otieno was convicted of unlawfully assaulting his wife, Caroline Aoko Onyango, causing fatal blunt-force injuries to her head in November 2022 at Nyalenya village in Muhoroni Sub-County.

Initially charged with murder, the court found that Otieno did not act with malice, leading to the manslaughter conviction. The prosecution, led by counsel Mercy Mutheu Muema, proved beyond reasonable doubt that Aoko died from the head trauma sustained during the assault. Justice Joe Omido stated that the aggravating circumstances outweighed the mitigating circumstances, warranting a custodial sentence.

Muema emphasized the psychological impact on the couple's four children, who had been left in distress following their mother's death. Otieno was sentenced to 12 years in prison, with the sentence backdated to November 23, 2022, when he was first remanded in custody. He has 14 days to appeal the conviction and sentence.