Ruth Kamande: From Death Sentence to Law Graduate Behind Bars After Boyfriend’s Murder

Ruth Wanjiku Kamande, a Kenyan woman serving a life sentence for the murder of her boyfriend, Farid Mohamed Halim, has drawn attention for obtaining a law degree while in prison, years after being sentenced to death over the killing.

Kamande was arrested in September 2015 when Halim was found dead in his house in Buruburu, Nairobi. The 21-year-old was accused of stabbing her boyfriend 25 times following an argument on September 20, 2015.

During the trial, Kamande gave her account of the events that preceded the killing. She told the court that a disagreement began after she discovered a yellow card among Halim’s belongings. According to her testimony, she associated the card with an HIV programme and believed it indicated that he was receiving treatment for the condition.

Kamande further claimed that Halim threatened to kill both of them to prevent his HIV status from being revealed. She told the court that he attacked her and that she grabbed a kitchen knife during the struggle, stabbing him repeatedly in what she described as an act of self-defence.

However, the prosecution presented evidence that challenged her account. Witnesses told the court that they heard cries for help coming from Halim’s house. One neighbour testified that she heard him shouting that Kamande had stabbed him. Attempts to enter the house were unsuccessful because the door was locked, and Halim was dead by the time police officers arrived.

Kamande was subsequently charged with murder. In 2018, the court convicted her and imposed the death penalty, marking the beginning of a prolonged legal battle over her conviction.

While in custody, Kamande also became known at Lang’ata Women’s Prison after winning the facility’s beauty pageant in 2016. She was crowned Miss Lang’ata Women’s Prison, a title that brought her public attention while her murder case continued through the courts.

She later challenged her conviction, maintaining that she had acted in self-defence. However, the Court of Appeal upheld the murder conviction on November 6, 2020, leaving the original judgment intact.

In July 2023, President William Ruto commuted her death sentence to life imprisonment. The decision changed her punishment but did not overturn her conviction for Halim’s murder.

During her imprisonment, Kamande pursued legal studies through a programme run by Justice Defenders, an organisation that provides legal education and training to people in prison. The initiative equips participants with legal knowledge and skills to help individuals who face difficulties accessing legal services.

Having experienced the criminal justice system herself, Kamande developed an interest in understanding the law and helping other inmates navigate legal procedures. She studied law and trained as a paralegal, assisting fellow prisoners in understanding their rights and preparing their cases.

On November 26, 2024, Kamande graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of London. She was among inmates and prison officers who received academic qualifications during a graduation ceremony held at Kamiti Maximum Prison.

Her academic achievement, however, did not bring an end to her own legal struggle. Despite earning the degree, Kamande remained incarcerated under the sentence imposed following her murder conviction.

In April 2025, she approached the Supreme Court of Kenya, raising the issue of battered woman syndrome in an effort to have the circumstances surrounding the killing considered in her case. The argument sought to bring attention to the effects of prolonged abuse and how such circumstances may relate to a defendant’s actions.

The Supreme Court dismissed her application, explaining that battered woman syndrome was not recognised as a standalone defence under Kenyan criminal law. The court also noted that the issue had not been properly raised during the earlier proceedings in her case.

Kamande continues to serve her life sentence for Halim’s murder. Her journey from a death sentence to graduating with a law degree while behind bars has highlighted the possibility of pursuing education in prison, even as her efforts to challenge her conviction have failed to change the outcome of the case.

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