Barely 11 years ago, in 2015, Ruth Kamande, often known as Kenya’s prettiest inmate, committed a crime that later led to her being sentenced to life imprisonment.
While serving her sentence, she became famous due to her outstanding beauty, winning Miss Lang’ata Women’s Prison even before being convicted. During her time there, she also underwent a transformation, as she graduated academically barely a year ago.
In this segment, Times Digital Kenya walks you through how she ended up being sentenced to life imprisonment and how she evolved while serving her sentence in prison.
How Ruth Kamande Ended Up Serving Life Imprisonment
As seen earlier, Ruth went viral in 2015 for the wrong reasons that would later haunt her. She was accused of taking the life of her own boyfriend in a brutal manner.
Ruth reportedly attacked her boyfriend, Farid Mohammed, after finding text messages from another woman on his phone, and in the process, took his life. According to witnesses, the man died from stab wounds, and Ruth attempted to take her own life but failed.
She was rescued and rushed to Metropolitan Hospital with stab wounds to the stomach and both hands. On September 24, 2015, she was arraigned in court on accusations of murder.
Barely three years later, on July 19, 2018, Justice Jessie Lesiit found her guilty of killing her boyfriend and sentenced her to death.
Ruth Kamande was convicted of stabbing her then boyfriend 25 times. In her ruling, Justice Lesiit stated that the stabs were not inflicted at once but at intervals.
Life in prison
Although initially sentenced to death, Ruth
Kamande’s sentence was changed to life imprisonment 3 years ago, in 2023.
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During her time in prison, she has been recognized for her beauty and her love of modeling. Apart from emerging as the winner of Miss Lang’ata Prison 2016, Ruth has undergone a major transformation while serving her sentence.
For instance, Ruth Kamande graduated with a law degree on November 26, 2024. The graduation ceremony took place at Kamiti Maximum Prison, where others also graduated. The program was facilitated by the University of London in collaboration with Justice Defenders.
Nonetheless, her appeals have been unsuccessful, with the Supreme Court of Kenya dismissing one in April 2025. In her appeal, Ruth Kamande sought to introduce the concept of battered woman syndrome as a defense.
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Having studied the legal system to understand her own case, Ruth Kamande now fights to reform Kenya’s laws. After learning that some of her colleagues behind bars can’t afford lawyers, she also uses her expertise in law and the constitution to help them understand it better.
