Stephen Abdulkareem Munyakho: Kenyan on death row in Saudi Arabia freed
Saudi Arabia follows Islamic law, which states that the death sentence can be commuted if the deceased's family accepts blood money, known as dihya, as compensation.Kenyan media reported that the family had received $1m (£742,000) earlier this year in a payment made by the government and a charity, the Muslim World League.Munyakho's execution was postponed multiple times, following interventions by Kenyan officials.Ms Kweyu waged a long and desperate campaign to save her son."This satisfaction is going to be with me for a while," the Star newspaper quoted her as saying after her son's release."This time, it is true. The ambassador [in Saudi Arabia] has confirmed it," she added.Munyakho went to work in Saudi Arabia in his early 20s and 14 years ago was a warehouse manager at a Red Sea tourist resort.Speaking to the BBC last year, Ms Kweyu said her son got into a dispute with a Yemeni colleague. According to her, the workmate stabbed Munyakho with a letter opener, prompting him to retaliate by grabbing the same opener and attacking him. It resulted in the colleague's death.He was initially sentenced to five years for manslaughter in 2011, but an appeal changed that to a murder conviction in 2014 - carrying the death sentence.Sing'oei, Kenya's Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary, said that Munyakho had performed the minor Muslim pilgrimage in Mecca following his release. It is unclear when he would return home.
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