Kenyan man sentenced to 30 years imprisonment for chopping off his wife's hands

A Kenyan man has been sentenced to 30 years in jail for attempted murder after he chopped off his wife's hands.

Recalled that in what was described as the most atrocious cases of domestic violence, Stephen Ngila chopped off Jackline Mwende's hands with a machete in Machakos County on July 25, 2016, because she couldn't conceive after seven years of marriage.

28-year-old Jackline Mwende from Kathama Village, Masii in Machakos County, had her hands chopped off at the wrist by her husband, Stephen Ngila Thenge (right) on July 24. 

"I could not understand why he was blaming me yet we had gone to hospital last year and the doctors had said he was the one with issues, which could be corrected," she said. She said her husband, a tailor at Masii town, refused to follow up on treatment.

"He moved out of our house three months ago and came back on Sunday (July 24) at around 8.30pm. When I opened the door, he said ?today is your last day? and started slashing me with the panga."

Ngila, now 39, was given the sentence on Tuesday, February 9, after he was found guilty. He was however granted 14 days to appeal the ruling

In her judgment, Machakos Law Court Justice Brenda Bartoo said the court had taken note the accused was not remorseful for the offense he was convicted of.

"The court notes that the offense committed was grave, and the victim in the statement does not wish for any restitution,” she outlined while giving factors that informed the term.

“Therefore I proceed and sentence you for the offense of attempted murder contrary to section 220(A) of penal code,” she added in her judgement.

Mwende told the court her husband chopped off her hands with a machete because she could not bear him children.