High Court jails man linked to murder of Farida Kadzo to 20 years in prison
High Court jails man linked to murder of Farida Kadzo to 20 years in prison
The High Court at Mombasa on Tuesday, May 12, sentenced a 22-year-old man to 20 years’ imprisonment for the manslaughter of Farida Kadzo Changawa, a 17-year-old mother and survivor of sexual violence who was killed at her home in Kilifi County in June 2025.
Justice Wendy Kagendo Micheni handed down the sentence after the accused entered a plea bargain agreement that reduced an initial charge of murder to manslaughter.
In her ruling, the judge said she had weighed mitigation submissions, a pre-sentence report and a victim impact statement but noted that the court was “alive to the global trend of femicide cases, which is rising at an alarming rate, especially in marginalised areas like Kilifi”.
She said the maximum penalty of life imprisonment would be too severe for an offender who had pleaded guilty but stressed the need to protect the community.
The court heard that on the night of June 6, 2025, the accused shared dinner with the deceased and her mother at the family home in Mferejini village, Kijipwa, before stepping outside with Farida.
Moments later, her mother heard screams, and as she went towards the screams, Farida returned with a wine tapper’s knife lodged in her neck, pulled it out, and collapsed. The fatal attack followed a dispute after the teenager declined to visit the accused’s home.
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The young mother died at the scene, the court heard. Farida was the mother of an 11-month-old child and had herself been a survivor of defilement at the age of 15.
After the incident, according to court documents, the accused fled to Kaloleni, attempted suicide and was reported to police by his brother before being arrested by officers from Mariakani.
During mitigation, defence counsel had sought a 10-year custodial term while the prosecution pressed for 30 years, drawing attention to the cruelty of the attack and the youth of the victim.
International Justice Mission (IJM) Kenya, which had returned her to school last year and was supporting her education and her baby’s welfare, welcomed the sentencing as an important step toward accountability for violence against women and children.
IJM warned that the case points to the persistent risks faced by survivors even after they engage the justice system.
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