Ugandan herbalist Mawanda Asuma was jailed for 25 years for killing Kenyan nurse Ferdinand Ongeri.
The High Court in Eldoret has handed a 25-year prison sentence to 52-year-old Ugandan herbalist Mawanda Asuma, who was found guilty of murdering Ferdinand Ongeri, a respected nurse and union leader in Kisumu.
Presiding Judge Reuben Nyakundi ruled that the evidence against Asuma was solid and overwhelming, with the court convinced that the murder was deliberate and brutal.
Ongeri’s decomposing body was found between July 24 and July 27, 2019, in Kimondi forest, just outside Kapsabet town. The court heard that the victim suffered deep, cruel cuts to his mouth and abdomen, suggesting he had endured torture before death.
The discovery was made by herdsmen, sparking investigations that eventually pointed to the herbalist as the main suspect.
During the trial, Asuma denied murder, insisting Ongeri was his close friend and a regular client. He claimed to have been treating the nurse for obesity complications and painted himself as a misunderstood professional.
But his bail was denied, with the court labelling him a flight risk, noting that he operated in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda, making it easy for him to vanish.
The nurse’s widow, Brossy Makimtingwa Ongeri, who is also Ugandan and a fellow nurse, told the court how communication with her husband went silent just after he left for an engagement in Kisumu. His mother, Isabela Ongeri, a retired nurse, said her son had promised to visit her just days before his tragic disappearance.
Ongeri was well known for advocating for nurses’ welfare and had just sealed a promotion deal with the Kisumu County health department. This raised questions about a possible motive, though none were officially confirmed in court.
In his ruling, Justice Nyakundi emphasized the cruel nature of the crime and the lasting pain inflicted on Ongeri’s loved ones.
“The nature of this murder demands full accountability and must serve as a warning that such acts will never go unpunished,” the judge ruled.
The sentencing now brings a painful chapter to a close for a family still reeling from losing a husband, father, and healthcare hero.
