A bitter family dispute over wealth has ended with two men being sentenced to 30 years in prison each after the High Court in Siaya found them guilty of plotting and carrying out the brutal murder of a man at the hands of his own brother.
Justice Daniel Kemei sentenced Vincent Ochieng Ongoro for orchestrating the killing of his younger brother, Jared Ongoro Odhiambo, while Crispin Kennedy Awambo, the man hired to execute the attack, received the same sentence.
The ruling, delivered on Friday, July 17, came weeks after the court convicted the two men of murder on June 26.
According to Justice Kemei, the prosecution presented overwhelming evidence that left no doubt about the accused persons’ guilt. Witness testimonies, mobile phone records and the chain of events all pointed to a carefully planned murder motivated by a family dispute.
The judge observed that the tragedy could have been avoided had the disagreement over family property been resolved peacefully instead of through violence.
While noting that murder carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, Justice Kemei said both men were first-time offenders and therefore deserved custodial sentences of 30 years rather than life behind bars.
“I also find that the first accused agreed to carry out the orders and wishes of the second accused to eliminate the deceased. The two accused took the law into their own hands, and had the second accused opted to address the distribution of the family wealth in an amicable way, the deceased would be alive today,” the judge ruled.
The court ordered that Awambo’s sentence begin from October 24, 2023, the date of his arrest, while Vincent’s prison term will run from June 26, 2026, the date he was convicted. Both men have 14 days to appeal the decision.
A deadly ambush after a funeral vigil
Court documents revealed that on the night of September 4, 2023, Jared had attended a funeral vigil at Siranga near River Nzoia in Ugunja Sub-county.
Later that night, he left the gathering on a motorcycle with his brother, John Fabian Ongoro.
As they approached River Nzoia Bridge at around 10:30pm, another motorcycle carrying three men overtook them before its occupants suddenly launched a vicious attack using pangas and a metal rod.
John Fabian suffered deep cuts to his head, hands and legs but survived the assault.
Jared was not as fortunate.
He sustained multiple skull fractures and later died from the severe injuries. A postmortem examination concluded that he succumbed to traumatic brain injuries caused by the brutal assault.
In one of the most emotional moments during the trial, John Fabian told the court he heard Jared desperately beg the attackers to spare his life. He even offered to surrender his business if they let him live, but his pleas were ignored.
A stolen phone that exposed the killers
The breakthrough came unexpectedly when boda boda rider Michael Omondi was arrested in connection with a separate robbery.
Police discovered Jared’s stolen Tecno mobile phone in his possession.
When questioned, Michael allegedly revealed that Awambo had hired him to ferry the attackers on the night of the murder.
He further testified that before setting out, the group stopped at Siriwo Complex, where Vincent operated his business.
According to Michael, Awambo later sold him Jared’s phone for KSh1,000.
Investigators traced the handset back to the deceased using its IMEI number, providing a crucial link in the investigation.
Another witness who worked at Siriwo Complex strengthened the prosecution’s case by telling the court he saw Vincent issue instructions and hand over weapons to the group shortly before they left.
Defence rejected
Throughout the trial, both accused denied any involvement.
Vincent insisted he had remained at his business premises throughout the night and claimed jealous relatives had falsely implicated him in the murder.
Awambo also denied participating in the attack.
However, after evaluating all the evidence, the court dismissed their defence, finding that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The judgment brings to a close a case that shocked residents of Siaya, highlighting the devastating consequences of unresolved family disputes and how a stolen mobile phone ultimately helped detectives unravel a carefully orchestrated murder plot.
