Aasai

What happens when anger and rejection turn into a terrible crime? In a shocking case that has taken five years to resolve, a university student has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the murder of a 15-year-old girl in Naivasha.

The High Court found Fredrick Mwonjoria, now 22 and a student at Machakos University, guilty of killing Valerian Njeri after she allegedly rejected his advances. At the time of the crime, Mwonjoria was just 17 and a student at Nanyuki High School.

A Crime That Shocked a Community

On November 28, 2019, in the Mirera estate of Naivasha, Mwonjoria lured Valerian to his home. There, he attacked her with a knife, stabbing her twelve times, mainly in the neck and forehead. After the brutal act, he hid her body under his bed and calmly had dinner with his family, showing no signs of what he had done.

Later, Valerian’s body was found dumped outside his gate. Bloodstains led investigators to Mwonjoria’s room, where they found the murder weapon and bloodied clothes.

The Court’s Verdict

Judge Grace Nzioka, who presided over the case, ruled that despite Mwonjoria being a minor at the time, his crime was too serious to go unpunished. While life imprisonment and the death penalty were not options because of his age, she determined that a custodial sentence was necessary.

In her ruling, she noted that his actions showed clear intent to kill, making it impossible for the court to show further leniency.

A Family’s Pain and a Long Wait for Justice

For five years, Valerian’s family endured emotional, financial, and spiritual hardship, waiting for justice. After the ruling, her father, John Ndunu, expressed mixed feelings.

“We accept the court’s decision, but no sentence can bring back our daughter,” he said. “She was the heart of our family, and we will forever miss her.”

A Lesson to Learn

This case serves as a painful reminder of the consequences of uncontrolled anger and violence. Mwonjoria will now serve his sentence in prison, where he will have a chance to continue his education behind bars—but at a great cost.

For young people, this case is a wake-up call: one wrong choice ca

n change your life forever.