A KENYAN court has handed down a 20-year prison sentence to a former top Venezuelan diplomat for his involvement in the 2012 murder of the Latin American nation’s acting ambassador, Olga Fonseca, at her residence in an upscale neighbourhood of Nairobi.
Dwight Sagaray, who served as the first secretary at the embassy, along with three Kenyan nationals, was convicted in January of the murder. On Friday, Judge Roselyn Korir sentenced all four men to 20 years in jail, with the term beginning in January.
The court ruled that Sagaray could be tried for the murder as he had been stripped of diplomatic immunity following the crime. The murder took place less than two weeks after Fonseca’s arrival in Nairobi, following the sudden departure of the previous ambassador who had faced accusations of sexual harassment from his domestic staff.
During the trial in January, it was revealed that Sagaray, who had been in charge of the embassy before Fonseca’s posting, was displeased with her presence as he desired to continue overseeing the diplomatic mission. The court found evidence supporting Sagaray’s anger towards Fonseca.
However, one of the accused, Kipng’eno Kirui Chelogoi, was acquitted due to insufficient evidence connecting him to the other suspects or the crime scene, according to Judge Korir’s ruling. Another suspect in the case remains at large, and the court has upheld the arrest warrant against him.
The conviction and sentencing of Sagaray highlight the commitment of the Kenyan judiciary to deliver justice in high-profile cases. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding the rule of law and addressing crimes that violate diplomatic norms and endanger the lives of individuals serving in diplomatic missions.