Matuga Member of Parliament (MP) Hassan Mwanyoha's son was on Tuesday sentenced to death after being found guilty of robbing a tourist.
Mafanikio Mwanyoha was charged before a Kwale court for attacking and violently robbing a Polish tourist, Peter Schadowsky, in Diani Kwale County.
Mwanyoha and his co-defendant Ali Hussein were accused of stealing while armed with a knife, an LG mobile phone, a pair of spectacles, a bag, five credit cards and a company ID card with a total value of Sh14,625.
Appearing before Kwale Principal Magistrate Cosmas Maundu, the two who were not represented by a lawyer, were also found guilty of threatening the tourist from Poland and handling stolen property.
While delivering the ruling that lasted less than 20 minutes, Maundu told a packed court room that the prosecution had presented enough evidence against the suspects.
“This court has no discretion on this matter and therefore the (death) sentence is mandatory. I therefore sentence each accused to death as prescribed by law,” declared Maundu.
When the suspects were given a chance to defend themselves before the judgement was made, Mwanyoha pleaded with the court to forgive him while his accomplice urged the judge to just do his work.
“I did not commit that offence and I ask the court to release me,” requested Mafanikio.
The two, who also have another robbery with violence case before the Mombasa Law Court, were given 14 days to appeal the ruling.
During the hearing, the MP's family was conspicuously absent and are said to have abandoned their son who has been in custody since his arrest in August 2015, after failing to raise a bond.
