The son of the late former Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua, Jackson Kihara Gachagua, has moved to the High Court seeking to overturn his 20-year prison sentence, claiming he was maliciously prosecuted and convicted without a fair trial.

Appearing before Justice Alexander Muteti, Jackson alleged that he had been subjected to years of harassment and intimidation, which prevented him from speaking openly about the circumstances surrounding his conviction.

He further alleged that crucial documents linked to his late father’s estate had remained hidden under strict instructions from the former governor before his death in 2017.

“If the court can provide me with security escort, I can hand over the documents to my family. Had I disclosed to my uncle where the documents are, I could not be here today,” Jackson told the court.

Jackson said he only decided to challenge the circumstances of his conviction after allegedly receiving assurances of protection from the government on October 11, 2024.

“I was framed and improperly convicted. I am also challenging the manner in which I was convicted,” he said.

He argued that the four years he spent in remand custody before sentencing were not considered by the trial court, terming the omission unconstitutional.

Jackson also maintained that the 20-year sentence imposed on him was excessive compared to punishments handed to suspects convicted of more serious crimes.

“There are murder suspects who have received lighter sentences than mine. Considering the aggravating factors, I believe I deserved a lesser sentence,” he submitted.

He urged the court to consider his rehabilitation while in prison, saying he trained as a teacher during his incarceration and remained hopeful despite the conviction. He also attached medical documents and other records in support of his application for sentence review.

However, Justice Muteti told him that the High Court could not revisit factual issues that had already been determined by the Court of Appeal unless there were grounds warranting a retrial.

“I cannot revisit issues of fact that have been dealt with by the Court of Appeal unless the issues relate to a retrial,” the judge ruled.

Justice Muteti further advised Jackson to engage his family lawyer and consider moving to the Supreme Court, noting that some of the issues he had raised fell outside the jurisdiction of the High Court.