Stephen Munyakho, the Kenyan man who was once on death row in Saudi Arabia for murder, is expected to return to Kenya tonight after spending 14 years behind bars. Now known as Abdulkareem following his conversion to Islam, Munyakho was incarcerated at Shimeisi Prison in Mecca Governorate in 2011 following a fatal altercation with a Yemeni colleague.
Initially charged with manslaughter and sentenced to five years, his case was later escalated to murder on appeal leading to a death sentence by beheading. However, the execution was deferred after the family of the deceased accepted diyya (blood money), paving the way for his eventual release.
Munyakho’s freedom was made possible after the Kenyan government and the Muslim World League contributed Ksh.129 million earlier this year to settle the compensation. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi played a key role in advocating for Munyakho’s release, directly intervening with the Saudi Foreign Ministry to halt the execution.
After completing the judicial requirements, Munyakho was released from prison on July 22, 2025, and allowed to perform Umrah (minor pilgrimage) before being moved to a deportation centre for processing. His arrival at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) is expected at 11 pm on Monday, July 28, 2025.
Munyakho’s case drew significant attention over the years, highlighting the challenges faced by migrant workers in the Gulf region. His return marks the end of a long legal and diplomatic journey that spanned over a decade. Upon arrival, he is expected to reunite with his family and receive support to reintegrate into Kenyan society after years of incarceration abroad.
The Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary confirmed his arrival in a statement, expressing relief and gratitude to all who contributed to securing his release.
