- Wilson Wambugu, 27, won an appeal against an 80-year sentence handed down by a lower court in Nyeri
- Wambugu had maintained he was framed by a cousin after refusing to buy the man alcohol
- Human rights lawyer John Wangai took up the case on a pro bono basis after hearing about Wambugu's story
A 27-year-old man from Laikipia who was sentenced to 80 years in prison has walked free after the High Court in Nyeri overturned his conviction.
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Justice Kizito Magare delivered the ruling on Friday, October 16, finding no merit in the charges that had led to Wilson Wambugu's imprisonment. The judge ordered his immediate release and closed the file.
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a) The appeal is allowed on conviction and sentence. the conviction of the appellant on counts I, II, III and IV and on the alternative charge to count V in Karatina PMCSO No. E010 of 2023 is quashed.
b) The sentence totalling 80 years imprisonment are set aside.
c) The appellant is acquitted on all the counts.
d) The prayer for retrial is declined.
e) The appellant is to be removed from the offenders register.
g) Right of Appeal within 14 days
h) File closed
How the Conviction Came About
Wambugu had been convicted by a lower court in July 2025 on charges of inappropriately touching minors and causing them harm, with his earliest possible release date set for 2076.
Throughout his time in custody, Wambugu maintained he was innocent. In an interview with Jamba TV conducted last year, he described how his arrest followed a confrontation with a cousin of the family that had employed him as a farmhand in Nyeri.
According to Wambugu, the dispute began when he declined to purchase alcohol for the cousin. He had been earning KSh 6,000 a month, spending roughly KSh 5,000 on his mother's medication and the remainder on personal necessities, leaving him unable to meet the request. He offered tea as an alternative, but the cousin insisted on alcohol.
That same evening, the cousin returned with police officers and accused Wambugu of assaulting and inappropriately touching his teenage relatives. Wambugu alleged that the three teenagers themselves denied the accusations and did not know him beyond his role as a farmhand, but that they were later pressured into providing testimony against him.
"I did not do it. Even the victims said I did not do it. I am innocent," he said.
Human rights lawyer John Wangai learned of Wambugu's case and agreed to represent him at the appellate court on a pro bono basis. One year after taking on the matter, the appeal succeeded.
"When I sat with the young man who was then sentenced for 80 yrs I was impressed by his positive spirit and conviction. He was optimistic that the future is very bright by God's grace. I offered to help him because I believe in justice. It would have been unfair to have him in prison for all those years for a crime he didn't commit," Wangai told TUKO.co.ke.
Wangai praised the court for reviewing and overturning a sentence that would have kept Wambugu behind bars for virtually his entire life. He added that his focus now shifts to helping Wambugu rebuild.
"When we met after the landmark decision he told me he wanted a job so that he can put his life in order and work on achieving his goals, including going back to school since he didn't manage due to lack of fees," the advocate said.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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