Four jailed for 40 years over murder of British geologist

Four people have been sentenced to 40 years imprisonment for the murder of renowned British geologist Campbell Rodney Bridges five years ago.

Lady Justice Maureen Odero sentenced Messrs Mohamed Dadi Kokane, 42, Alfred Njuruka Makoko, 58, Samwel Mwachala Mwaghania, 49, and James Chacha Mwita, 56, a day after she convicted them.

Ms Odero noted that the offence was serious, adding that the deceased died at the prime of his life and left behind a widow and a son.

Although the prosecution urged the judge to sentence the accused to death, the court noted that there is controversy over whether it is mandatory since two Court of Appeal benches had differed.

Prior to sentencing, senior prosecuting counsel George Muriithi said the accused committed a heinous offence that was premeditated.  “There can be no mitigating factors in this case, they should suffer the death penalty,” said Mr Muriithi.

According to a victim’s statement filed in court Ms Judith Bridges, the widow of the deceased, said the tragedy of losing her husband had deeply traumatised the entire family.

In their mitigation through lawyers Steve Kithi and Fredrick Mwawasi, the accused said they had families and urged the court to grant them a lenient sentence.

They also urged the court to note the time some of them had been in custody. The court found out that the accused were among a group that attacked Mr Bridges while going to his camp.

“I am satisfied that the prosecution has proved that the first, second, third and fourth accused and their group in addition to having a common unlawful intention acted on it with malice aforethought,” said Ms Odero.

She added that the accused acted unlawfully in blocking a road and attacking the deceased to prevent him from reaching his camp.

“The accused persons are criminally culpable for this loss of life. They set upon the deceased and his team who were unarmed, the attack was unprovoked,” said Ms Odero.

Mr Bridges was murdered on August 11 2009 at Kambaga Mwasui ranch in Mwatate within Taita Taveta County.

Mr Bridges was a geologist engaged in mining activities in Kenya from 1974 and had established two companies.

The court noted that there existed a long standing dispute between the deceased and “local miners” over mining rights on Mwasui and Mkuki ranches.

“This dispute tragically resulted in the untimely death of the deceased on the afternoon of Agust 11, 2009,” said the judge. The court further noted that the attackers were people known to the witnesses because they all lived in the same vicinity.

“They interacted regularly and they all had interests in the mining industry, indeed witnesses were able to identify each attacker by name,” said the judge.

Ms Odero said the defence raised by Mr Kokane amounted to mere denial while that of Mr Makoko was not persuasive.

She said Mr Mwachala was positively identified by all eyewitnesses as having been among the group of attackers, while the defence of Mr Mwita was nothing more than a denial.

The judge acquitted Mr Daniel Mdachi Mnene, Osman Abdi Hussein and Crispus Mkunguzi Mngolia who had been charged alongside the four. The judge said she had doubts as to whether Mr Mnene was a participant in the attack against the deceased.

In the case of Mr Hussein, the court noted that there existed no concrete evidence to link him to the attack.

The court also noted that despite the weaknesses of Mr Mkunguzi’s defence, it doubtful as to whether or not he participated in the attack.