Man claiming to be son of late Governor Nderitu Gachagua loses bid to review jail term
By Zipporah Ngwatu, June 17, 2026A Milimani High Court Criminal Division has dismissed an application by Jackson Kihara, a man who claimed to be the late Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua, who sought a review of a 20-year jail term.
Kihara is serving the 20 years at Manyani Maximum Prison after he was convicted of robbery with violence.
In dismissing the application, Judge Alexander Muteti on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, ruled that Kihara’s application is an abuse of the court process.
Justice Muteti noted that the court has found out that the convict failed to demonstrate any illegality that would warrant interference with the sentence imposed by the trial court.
“This court finds that there was no impropriety or irregularity to warrant the review of the sentence in this matter,” Judge Muteti ruled.
Robbery offence attracts maximum sentence
Further, Judge Muteti stated that the offence of robbery with violence attracts a maximum sentence under the law and that the trial court had properly exercised its discretion in sentencing Kihara.
In addition, the judge averred that Kihara’s mitigation, lack of previous criminal record and a favourable pre-sentence report dated April 2, 2020, had already been considered in the jail term he is serving.
Notably, the court has declined attempts by Kihara to revisit issues relating to an alleged family dispute and inheritance wrangles involving the Gachagua family.
During previous proceedings, Kihara told the court that the former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua framed him with a robbery case after he refused to give him property documents entrusted to him by the late governor, whom he claimed was his father.
Judge Muteti declined to entertain the allegations, stating that the issues had no bearing on the sentence review application before the court.
“The robbery charges he was convicted of were determined by the trial court. The issues relating to family and property disputes are irrelevant to the determination of this application,” Justice Muteti ruled.
“All the issues raised now are intended to draw sympathy from this court. The court cannot allow parties to continuously return before it with irrelevant issues that have no legal basis,” Judge Muteti added.