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A man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison by the High Court in Mombasa for the murder of his wife, with the court citing longstanding financial disputes and disagreements over her use of Instagram as background factors in the case.
Justice Wendy Micheni found Murad Awadh Mbarak guilty of killing Nuru Ibrahim on the night of June 19, 2022, at their home in Majengo Kanamai, Kilifi South Sub-County. The couple had been married for several years and had six children, five of whom were alive at the time.
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Court documents show that some of the children were present in the house during the attack. While the accused claimed the marriage was peaceful, witnesses including the deceased’s sister, uncle, and cousin testified that the relationship was often marked by disputes over money and property. Evidence indicated that Nuru Ibrahim had contributed her jewelry to help build the couple’s home, which was registered solely in the accused’s name.
Disagreements over a relative’s loan and the deceased’s desire to separate were also highlighted. Court records show she had moved important documents, such as birth certificates and allotment letters, to her sister’s care weeks before her death. Testimony revealed that Mbarak had become angered by her joining Instagram and had threatened to post her nude photos online if she attempted to leave him.
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On the night of June 19, 2022, the couple’s home was filled with screams. One of their children, then 11 years old, testified that she found her father attacking her mother with a broken piece of a baby cot. A neighbour also heard cries for help and saw the deceased bleeding inside the house. Attempts to intervene were thwarted when the accused allegedly stabbed at neighbours through a door opening. He eventually surrendered after police arrived.
Forensic evidence confirmed fatal injuries on the deceased. Blood matching Nuru Ibrahim’s DNA was found on a knife, broken wooden pieces, and the accused’s clothing.
In his defence, Mbarak denied responsibility, claiming an unknown intruder had attacked them and challenging witness accounts. He also disputed claims of marital discord and stated he had just returned from a journey, which was contradicted by his employer’s testimony.
The court dismissed his defence as inconsistent with eyewitness accounts and forensic evidence. Justice Micheni ruled that Mbarak acted with malice aforethought, citing prior threats, the severity of the assault, use of weapons, and his prevention of neighbour intervention as proof of intent to cause death or grievous harm.
The judge described the killing as deliberate and brutal, noting that Mbarak repeatedly assaulted the deceased, used furniture to create weapons, and allowed her to die despite neighbours advising him to help.
After finding all elements of murder proven beyond a reasonable doubt under Sections 203 and 204 of the Penal Code, the court sentenced Murad Awadh Mbarak to 30 years imprisonment.
