The High Court has sentenced Eldoret Policewoman Lilian Biwott to 35 years in prison for the murder of her husband, Victor Kipchumba.
Biwott shot Kipchumba 12 times in their home, killing him in what Justice Reuben Nyakundi described as a brutal and premeditated act.
Justice Nyakundi expressed that the murder was part of the rising cases of domestic violence, gender-based violence (GBV), and femicide, underscoring the need for strong punishment as a deterrent against such crimes.
He stated that Biwott, as a trained police officer, should have explored other non-lethal ways to handle her marital issues and had no justification for using a firearm to kill her husband.
“The firearm issued to you by the government was never meant to be used against your husband,” the judge said.
He emphasized that while the couple’s marriage was marked by violence, it was not an excuse for Biwott to resort to deadly force.
Justice Nyakundi noted that although Biwott had been informed that her husband allegedly intended to harm their children, she had ample time to seek alternatives such as separation or divorce.
Instead, she fired 12 bullets, six of which hit vital organs, showing clear malice and premeditation.
“This was a cold, calculated murder driven by brutality and ill-will,” he added.
The judge raised concerns about the impact of the crime on the couple’s children, wondering how Biwott would explain the killing to them in the future.
He also highlighted the disturbing trend of increasing domestic killings and insisted that there were always other ways to resolve conflicts without resorting to violence.
The court also found that Biwott’s defense, which claimed self-defense and abuse within the marriage, was unconvincing.
There was no evidence of provocation or immediate threat to her life that could justify the shooting.
The judge pointed out that Biwott had enough time to reflect on her actions when she left her workplace and traveled home, and that the concealment of evidence further supported the claim of premeditation.
“Now your children are orphans because of your unlawful act, which could have been avoided,” Justice Nyakundi stated.
Biwott had claimed that she shot her husband after years of abuse in their marriage, but the court ruled that the forensic evidence and witness testimony proved her actions were deliberate.
The murder took place on the night of October 9, 2024, at their home in Kimumu, Eldoret, and despite initially denying the charge, Biwott was found guilty of murder.
This case highlights the growing concern about domestic violence and the need for society to address such issues through non-violent means, rather than allowing them to escalate to deadly outcomes.
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