A British court has handed a life sentence to David Gikawa for the murder of Linah Keza a Rwandan model. The Couple had shifted to the UK after living in Rwanda for some time.
Asiimwe Susan the elder sister to Linah told IGIHE in a statement, “Today around 3:30 pm that’s when we had the News from Central criminal court of Justice the Jury awarding their verdict convicting Kikawa of murder thus requesting life sentence.
Life sentence in prison will not bring our Linah back but atleast Justice is served and I can say I am happy for thatWe leave our plight to the grace and mercy of God almighty. We would like to thank the endless list of people who have provided us with physical and emotional support.
Thank you to the British Justice system, UK police liaison officers, the social services, The Government of Rwanda through My employer who stood with me since the loss of my sister until now and the many friends that have supported us.
God bless you all”
Background to the Murder
Linah Keza, 29, was stabbed to death after David Gikawa, 39, used a key she gave him to sneak into her flat at 4.20am before launching into a ‘brutal stabbing’. the Old Bailey was told.
The cause of death was given as stab wounds to the chest, the jury heard.
However, Gikawa had repeatedly denied murdering Ms Keza while she was with her young child at her flat in Leyton, east London on July 31 last year.
He used to live with Ms Keza in the flat, but that she had kicked him out the night before and was planning to change the locks, prosecutors said.
Jurors later heard from a witness how Ms Keza screamed and begged a neighbour to kick the door down as she was stabbed to death, while her young daughter shouted ‘leave my mummy alone’.
The ‘systems in place failed to prevent’ the death of Ms Keza, who had been in contact with both the police and social services, Peter Finnigan QC, prosecuting, told the court.
Mr Finnigan said Gikawa drove from a bar where he had been drinking with friends to Ms Keza’s flat where the ‘brutal stabbing’ took place.
The incident was described by neighbour Gideon Bello, who told the court he went to investigate after hearing the shouts from the flat.
He told how he knocked on the door after hearing a young girl saying: ‘Leave my mummy alone’.
Mr Bello said he then heard Ms Keza shouting: ‘Please kick down the door, please kick down the door.’
He said: ‘[Gikawa] was holding her with his arm around her neck. I saw his hand moving around as if he was hitting her.
He then told how a blood-stained Gikawa ran away after he challenged him.
Mr Finnigan earlier said the victim wanted to start afresh and be ‘free from the fear, threats and control’.
But, he said, Gikawa was ‘determined to prevent it’ claimed he would rather kill Ms Keza and himself than see her go out with another person.
