On the 21st, Jackson Kihara Gachucha, the alleged nephew to Rigathi Gachagua and son of a former Nyeri governor, appeared before Milimani High Court to appeal for his 20-year imprisonment. He requested the court to reconsider his sentence, factoring in the time he has already served and the circumstances surrounding his case.
Kihara expressed that during the initial phases of his trial, he was overwhelmed by fear for his safety, which hindered him from effectively defending himself. “I only recently found the courage to speak,” he told the court.
He also indicated that he works as a prison teacher, highlighting his good conduct during incarceration information supported by a prison report.
Kihara was detained in 2016 in connection with a robbery incident and remained in custody throughout the criminal proceedings before a lower court.
He was sentenced to 20 years impresonment in 2019 where he challenged both his conviction and sentence, but the appellate court dismissed his appeal, upholding the original ruling on 24th May 2022.
After losing his appeal, Kihara returned to the High Court to seek a sentence review, claiming that critical facts were overlooked during the previous proceedings.
He insisted that the 20-year penalty was excessive and urged the court to deduct the time he spent in remand detention before sentencing.
He further argued that he was falsely implicated in the robbery case, asserting that his conviction was based on fabricated evidence and injustice.
He accused the authorities of intimidation, which contributed to his silence during the trial, and reiterated that some of the issues he now raises were never thoroughly addressed in court.
In addition, Kihara appealed for the release of documents entrusted to him by his late father formerly Nyeri’s governor which are important for a family succession matter.
He requested that these documents be handed over to his relatives.During the hearing, Justice Alexander Muteti inquired whether he was seeking a new trial or merely challenging the existing conviction.
Kihara reaffirmed that he was wrongly convicted and insisted that the case against him was a setup.The prosecution opposed the plea, arguing that since Kihara had already exhausted his appeals, the High Court lacked jurisdiction to revisit the matter.
They also claimed that he was raising new issues meant to elicit sympathy. However, they conceded that the period he spent in remand could be considered in sentencing calculations.
The judge announced that the ruling on his application would be delivered via virtual session on 17th June 2026. With regard to the documents, the court ordered the prison authorities at Manyani Maximum Prison to facilitate their transfer to his family for the succession process.
The court will now decide whether to reduce the sentence and whether the time he has spent in detention should be deducted from his 20-year term.
