Man who fatally shot father over land gets 15 years in jail

A Baringo man who killed his father with an arrow following a land dispute has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after a plea bargain process that took nearly six years to conclude.

Samuel Kibet Cherutich was sentenced by Justice Mumbua T. Matheka at the Kabarnet High Court on July 31 after pleading guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Cherutich had initially been charged with murder over the death of his father, Reuben Chemwetich Cherutich, in September 2020.

The prosecution told the court that on September 3, 2020, at about 2pm, the two men were walking in Turuturu village, Kabutie Location, Baringo North Sub-County, while quarrelling over land.

A juvenile girl who overheard the confrontation told the court that the deceased had warned his son never to set foot on his land because he had chosen to disobey his instructions.

Enraged, Cherutich left the scene, went to his brother’s house and collected a bow and arrow. He returned and shot his father in the chest before fleeing.

He was later arrested by members of the public. A post-mortem examination established that his father died from a left-lung haemothorax, which caused the lung to collapse.

Cherutich pleaded not guilty to murder on September 28, 2020 before Justice Edward Muriithi. The case subsequently became entangled in prolonged attempts to reach a plea bargain, with negotiations repeatedly failing because the family had not reached an agreement.

From May 2023, the defence indicated that Cherutich wished to negotiate a plea bargain. The prosecution prepared the necessary documents and sought the views of the victim’s family, but several proposals were rejected.

Court proceedings were also affected by insecurity, with some witnesses fleeing the area, while others lacked transport to attend court.

Even after Cherutich reported that he had spoken to his relatives, his father’s brothers remained concerned that a plea bargain could result in him walking free. His lawyers urged the prosecution to explain to the family the nature and consequences of a plea agreement.

The negotiations finally succeeded in April 2026 after Cherutich confirmed that the family had “spoken” and reached an agreement. On June 9, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter under the negotiated agreement.

During sentencing, the prosecution acknowledged that the plea bargain had saved the family from the ordeal of a full trial, while also noting Cherutich’s remorse and the time saved by the court.

However, the prosecution maintained that the offence was serious and warranted imprisonment.

“A son had armed himself, left the scene to obtain a lethal weapon, and shot his father. The act was not spontaneous. Life had been irreversibly lost,” the prosecution said.

Cherutich was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment, effective from September 3, 2020.