A former police constable at Eldoret Central Police Station, Lilian Biwott, was on Tuesday, December 17, sentenced to 35 years in prison for the 2023 murder of her husband.
Biwott was convicted a week ago for shooting her husband Victor Kipchumba 12 times using her service weapon at their rented home.
While delivering the sentence, Eldoret High Court Judge Reuben Nyakundi described the murder as the most cruel treatment of another human being.
“For Lilian to use the same firearm issued to her for the prevention of crime against her husband’s life is barbaric, diabolic, cruel and degrading,” he declared.
Justice Nyakundi also added that the 35-year sentence served as a warning to other perpetrators of domestic violence who use their positions to threaten their partners in marriages.
He went on to add that although the marriage was characterised by domestic violence, Biwott, as a trained police officer had other ways to handle the situation.
During the trial, she claimed that she had been called to the house under the assumption that her husband was threatening to kill their children.
Despite this claim, the judge reiterated that there were several other ways she could have dealt with the threat that did not involve shooting Kipchumba 12 times.
He went on to describe the murder as premeditated as she had ample time to reflect on her actions on the way home and also dismissed her claims of self-defence as she had tried to conceal evidence after the fact.
“This was a purely premeditated murder excited with brutality and ill will and malice aforethought," Justice Nyakundi said.
“I don’t know what story you will tell your children when the time comes and I don’t know what means you will use to make peace with your children having killed their father.”
Of the 12 gunshots that rained on Kipchumba on October 9, 2023, six hit his vital organs killing him instantly.
