Former rugby player Alex Olaba jailed for threatening court witness
A former Kenya Sevens and Kenya Harlequins player Alex Olaba has been slapped with a 8-year jail term after he was found guilty of hatching a plot to kill a prosecution witness lined up to testify in a gang rape case against him.
The trial Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo slapped Olaba with the sentence after finding him guilty of two charges of attempted murder and interference with witnesses in the case in which he is charged alongside another former Kenya Rugby Seven player Frank Wanyama over gang-rape that was pending in court.
In his sentence, the magistrate said the accused was remorseful and promised not to repeat a similar offence in the future.
However, he ruled that the purpose of the sentencing is to ensure that an accused person is accountable for his mistakes and to deter any other person who intends to commit similar offences.
“Although the accused person is remorseful the offences he faces are serious. l convict and sentence him to serve six years in count one of conspiracy to to kill and two-years imprisonment in the second account of interference with judicial process. The sentences will run concurrently,” the magistrate said.
He will therefore serve six years then exit jail.
Olaba was jailed after he was found guilty of attempting to kill the key prosecution witnesses in his rape case.
“After evaluating the evidence on record, l find the prosecution has proven the case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt. I therefore convict him accordingly, ” the magistrate ruled while delivering judgement.
During the trial of the case, the prosecution witnesses including investigating officer George Otieno told the court that Olaba made several attempts, directly and indirectly, to contact the state witness in the gang-rape case with intention of interfering with his trial.
The convict was given 14 days to appeal against sentence.
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