Journalist Moses Dola Otieno has been released after High Court Judge Alexander Muteti approved his request for a case review.
In his ruling, which was delivered virtually, Muteti ordered the prison department to release Dola immediately unless he is being detained for other legal reasons.
Reacting to the ruling, Dola thanked the judge and expressed his hope of appearing before him again; this time as a law graduate.
Dola is known for his work with prominent media houses such as Nation Media Group, Citizen TV and Radio Africa.
His life took a devastating turn on May 11, 2011, when a domestic dispute with his wife, Sarah Wambui Kabiru, a fellow journalist, ended in her death.
Read More
The incident that led to Kabiru’s death occurred at the couple’s home in Umoja Estate, Nairobi.
According to accounts that emerged during the trial, the altercation began over the volume of music playing on the radio.
Dola later recounted that Wambui unplugged the radio, an action that sparked his anger.
The situation escalated when he went to pick up their two-year-old son, only for Wambui to intervene.
In the ensuing struggle, Wambui reportedly charged at Dola with a pair of scissors, pricking his thumb.
Dola claimed he acted in self-defense, tackling her onto the bed, not anticipating the severity of her injuries.
“I did not expect Wambui’s injury to have a big effect,” Dola said in a 2014 interview.
Overwhelmed and temperamental, he left the scene, locking the bedroom door behind him, and sought refuge at his brother-in-law’s house, where he drank alcohol.
Meanwhile, Wambui succumbed to her injuries, later determined to be caused by a blunt object, alone in their home.
Dola went into hiding for three days before turning himself in at Naivasha Police Station.
He was initially charged with murder with the prosecution arguing that Dola’s actions demonstrated culpability, pointing to medical evidence that confirmed Wambui had been struck with a blunt object and denied medical attention as the bedroom remained locked.
In a plea bargain later, the charge was reduced from murder to manslaughter, to which Dola pleaded guilty, expressing remorse and insisting he never intended to kill his wife. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
