After making several unsuccessful calls to his wife, Cyrus Kipng’eno Rono who worked as a night guard in Kiamunyeki, Nakuru County, excused himself from his work station on the night of August 29, 2023, to find out what was wrong at home.

Around 9 pm, he arrived at his house and went straight to the bedroom, knocking several times on the locked door.

After a few minutes, his wife opened it, looking startled and uneasy. She was dressed in a baggy T-shirt and the room appeared disorganised.

Scanning the room, Mr Rono noticed a pair of men’s shoes on the floor, which immediately raised his suspicions. He demanded an explanation from his wife about the shoes and their owner. Fearing that a man was hiding inside, he armed himself with a slasher.

A Nakuru court was told that he peeped under the bed and found a half-dressed man in khaki trousers. Realising he had been discovered, the man emerged from his hiding spot. Overcome by rage, Mr Rono attacked him with the slasher, stabbing him repeatedly on the limbs and neck, and striking his head several times.

The man, later identified as Mr Rono’s neighbour, Moody Awori, collapsed helplessly as Rono’s wife watched in shock.

After the brutal attack, Mr Rono locked the house from outside and proceeded to Lanet Police Station, where he reported the incident. He then led officers back to his house, unlocked the door and showed them the victim lying lifeless in a pool of blood next to the bed.

Police arrested Mr Rono and processed the crime scene before arraigning him in court where he was charged with the murder of Awori —a charge he denied.

Witnesses, including police officers, neighbours and the deceased’s widow testified against him.

Government pathologist Titus Ngulungu told the court that Mr Awori died from severe head injuries caused by blunt and sharp force trauma. The murder weapon—a slasher—was recovered and presented in court as evidence.

Although Rono’s wife declined to testify against him in court, she had earlier recounted to police what transpired.

In his defence, Mr Rono claimed he acted in self-defence, alleging that the deceased tried to attack him after he caught him in his matrimonial bed.

However, Justice Samuel Mohochi dismissed the defence as inconsistent and weak. He ruled that the prosecution had proved beyond doubt that the attack was deliberate and intended to cause death.

“The manner in which the body of the deceased was found is indicative of the depth of violence he suffered at the hands of the accused,” Justice Mohochi noted.

“I find the accused, Cyrus Kipng’eno Rono, guilty of the offence of murder contrary to Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code, and he is hereby convicted accordingly,” the judge ruled.

The court ordered a pre-sentence report to be prepared ahead of mitigation and sentencing.