A Kisumu man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after being convicted of the manslaughter of his wife of 18 years.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) secured the conviction and sentence against Jared Otieno Otieno at the High Court in Kisumu, where Justice Joe Omido handed him the custodial sentence.

Otieno had initially been charged with murder under Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code.

However, the court convicted him of manslaughter under Section 202 as read with Section 205 of the Penal Code.

The court heard that Otieno unlawfully assaulted his wife, Caroline Aoko Onyango, at Nyalenya village in Muhoroni Sub-County, Kisumu County, between November 9 and 10, 2022.

In his judgment, Justice Omido found that the prosecution, led by Counsel Mercy Mutheu Muema, had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Onyango died from blunt force trauma to the head sustained during the assault.

The judge, however, found that Otieno had not acted with malice, leading to the manslaughter conviction rather than murder.

While urging the court to impose a custodial sentence, the prosecution highlighted the impact of Onyango’s death on her four children.

Counsel Muema told the court that the children had been left psychologically distressed following the loss of their mother.

The prosecution also cited gender-based violence as an aggravating factor, arguing that Otieno had failed in his responsibility to protect his family.

In determining the sentence, Justice Omido said the aggravating circumstances outweighed the mitigating factors and warranted a custodial term.

Otieno was consequently sentenced to 12 years in prison, with the sentence backdated to November 23, 2022, when he was first remanded in custody.

The convict has 14 days to appeal the decision.