Confined within the unforgiving walls of Naivasha Maximum prison, Nakuru County, William Makanga Musa is burdened with a life sentence for a crime he claims, did not commit.
Speaking to Inooro TV's Njeraini Citu, the convict was initially handed the death penalty on July 9, 2015, but was pardoned by former president Uhuru Kenyatta whereby the sentence was changed to life imprisonment.
Stripped of freedom, robbed of dreams, and separated from his loved ones, the once boda boda rider admitted that he had no one to turn to in his most trying moment in life.
While detailing the incident, he recalled September 9, 2013, when a colleague approached him at a stage in Nakuru County and informed him that he needed to test a mobile phone before purchasing it. Obliging to his request, Musa used his own SIM Card to test the phone which turned on but required to be charged.
Going out of his way, Musa took the phone to his sister's shop to charge and gave her instructions that his friend would pick up the phone at a later time.
"Days later, around 3:00 pm I was at a garage when a police vehicle drove past by and halted. They enquired about my phone before taking me in handcuffs to the nearest police station in Gilgil constituency," he stated.
Upon inquiry, he was informed that the friend's phone was part of the items stolen from a foreigner's house weeks earlier. The detectives, who suspected Musa to be part of the criminal gang, informed him that the gang had also assaulted the foreigner's wife.
"The friend who handed the phone to me was also arrested and at first admitted that he gave me the phone. However, he later denied the claims and stated that he was arrested for a petty offense and had no relations with the case in question," he noted.
"With no evidence pointing to him except my word, he was acquitted and I was charged with robbery with violence and handed the death sentence," he added.
According to the penal code, if an offender is armed with any dangerous or offensive weapon or instrument, or is in company with one or more other person or persons, or if, at or immediately after the time of the robbery, he wounds, beats, strikes or uses any other personal violence to any person, he shall be sentenced to death.
At the age of 25, he was stripped of his freedom and left to live a life behind bars. Musa indicated that he was out of touch with his family as his wife passed away and left his child behind.
"I don't know how my child is doing, where they are. As it stands, I'm here serving my sentence," he pointed out.
To those who framed him, he warned: "If you are still doing wrong, they will end up suffering like I am here in prison. You did wrong and I am paying the price. You are out there living life and I am here."
He also urged Kenyans to be cautious when dealing with other people's property and not to trust people blindly.
