Police Officer Sentenced to 35 Years for Husband’s Murder Despite Claims of Domestic Abuse
Biwott, a police officer and mother of four, had asked the court to reduce her charge to a lesser offense, arguing that she had endured years of abuse from her estranged husband, Victor Kipchumba
Despite her determined defense that she was a victim of domestic abuse by her late husband, police officer Lillian Biwott was sentenced to 35 years in prison by Eldoret High Court Judge Reuben Nyakundi. The sentence included a two-year reduction for the time she had spent in custody at Eldoret Women’s GK Remand Prison during the trial.
“I will give you a credit of two years for the period in which you have stayed in remand prison for trial and determination of the case you were facing,” stated Justice Nyakundi during the ruling.
Biwott, a police officer and mother of four, had asked the court to reduce her charge to a lesser offense, arguing that she had endured years of abuse from her estranged husband, Victor Kipchumba. She alleged that the physical assaults and threats to her life had reached a point where she could no longer endure them.
In her testimony, Biwott described the events of October 9, 2023, when she fatally shot her husband at their rental house in Kimumu Estate, Uasin Gishu. “I acted to protect myself after he tried to grab my service rifle and threatened to harm me during an argument,” she told the court. The firearm in question had been assigned to her in her capacity as a police officer stationed at the Kenya Bureau of Standards’ Eldoret branch.
Biwott explained that the incident occurred after she received an urgent call from her house assistant, Sharon Chepchirchir, who reported that the deceased was threatening their children. Upon returning home, an altercation escalated, culminating in the fatal shooting.
Justice Nyakundi rejected Biwott’s defense, stating that forensic and witness evidence contradicted her claims. The court determined that the act was intentional, emphasizing that Biwott fired 12 rounds in a calculated manner, aiming at critical areas. “This was a deliberate act carried out with clear intent,” the judge noted, adding that Biwott had sufficient time to consider her actions after leaving her workplace for their home.
“The subsequent efforts to hide evidence indicate a deliberate plan by the accused,” Justice Nyakundi said. He also highlighted that as a law enforcement officer, Biwott had access to lawful options for resolving marital issues rather than resorting to violence. “Your actions have left your children parentless—a tragedy that could have been avoided,” he remarked.
The judge dismissed Biwott’s argument that the circumstances of abuse justified her actions, concluding that the evidence showed no immediate danger to her life at the time of the incident.
Biwott’s mother, Josephine Kipsei, a teacher, spoke in defense of her daughter. She expressed deep regret, recounting her attempts to persuade Biwott to leave the troubled marriage. “I really wanted my daughter to separate from him because their relationship was unstable and harmful,” she said, adding that numerous family interventions to mediate their conflicts had failed.
Despite her family’s efforts, Biwott stayed in the marriage, frequently complaining about mistreatment. “At first, they cared for each other, and we wished them well, but things fell apart,” Kipsei shared. She confirmed that the couple was legally married but had faced ongoing challenges that ultimately led to the tragic outcome.
In his final ruling, Justice Nyakundi stated that the evidence presented overwhelmingly pointed to an intentional act. The court held Biwott accountable for her actions, concluding that her claims of self-defense and personal hardships did not outweigh the facts of the case.
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