A Kenyan court has handed down a 45-year prison sentence to Arnold Ochieng Omollo, a 23-year-old man, who pleaded guilty to murdering two young children; his younger brother and nephew in Kisumu County.

The High Court in Kisumu convicted Omollo on two counts of murder under Sections 203 and 204 of the Penal Code.

The killings took place on the night of November 25 – 26, 2024, at Kamango Village in Nyakach Sub-County, where Omollo attacked both victims, Aaron Smith Omollo and Jayson Havi, each under ten years old, while they were sleeping.

He used crude weapons, specifically a metallic hoe and a wooden hoe handle, and postmortem results confirmed both children died from severe penetrating head injuries.

Prosecution counsel Mercy Muema argued for a harsh sentence, emphasizing that the victims were minors who were completely defenceless, that there was no provocation whatsoever, and that Omollo showed no remorse following the killings.

She also stressed that, as someone entrusted with the children’s care, he had gravely violated their fundamental right to life.

Judge Joe Omido sentenced Omollo to 45 years on each count, with both sentences running concurrently since the crimes arose from a single course of conduct.

The sentences were backdated to December 18, 2024, the date of his first court appearance. In his ruling, the judge noted that the punishment was meant to affirm the sacredness of life, reflect the gravity of killing children under one’s guardianship, and serve as a deterrent against similar crimes.