This archive report was first published on 26 October 2019.
On October 26, 2019, the Court of Appeal in Kenya delivered a ruling that has left a Machakos man, Julius Wambua, with little hope of a retrial. Wambua's daughter, Dorcas, had previously testified against her father, accusing him of defiling her. However, in a shocking turn of events, Dorcas confessed to being coached by her mother to lie about the incident.
Despite this new evidence, the court upheld Wambua's life sentence, stating that he was rightfully tried and there was no miscarriage of justice. The judges also ruled that Dorcas was of sound mind when she testified against her father and that no other witness contradicted her testimony to cast doubt on it.
Wambua's lawyers are now seeking a retrial from the Machakos Law Courts to introduce fresh evidence that will exonerate him from the rape allegations. The new evidence includes a confession by Dorcas, who regrets her decision to testify against her father.
Wambua's case was featured on Citizen TV's Prison Diaries, a series that highlights the stories of prisoners and their families. The ruling has left many wondering about the fairness of the justice system in Kenya.
