A Kenyan man facing execution in Saudi Arabia has been granted a temporary reprieve, thanks to a widespread social media campaign.
Stephen Munyakho, the son of veteran journalist Dorothy Kweyu, was sentenced to death in 2011 after a fatal altercation with a coworker in Saudi Arabia.
According to the Bring Back Stevo initiative led by Munyakho’s supporters, both individuals suffered stab wounds during the incident, but only Munyakho survived, leading to his sentencing.
Per Saudi law, a death penalty can be commuted if the victim’s family agrees to receive compensation instead.
Munyakho’s family in Kenya has been working to raise the required blood money, totaling three-and-a-half million Saudi riyals ($940,000; £750,000), for the deceased’s family.
Just two days before Munyakho’s scheduled execution, Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs announced that Saudi Arabia had agreed to postpone the execution to allow for further negotiations among all parties.
In a statement shared on social media, Korir Sing’Oei expressed gratitude for the Saudi government’s cooperation and emphasized the ongoing efforts to find a mutually acceptable resolution, leveraging both the strong relationship between Kenya and Saudi Arabia and the support of the Kenyan community.
