Kevin Mugambi’s family seeks government intervention over his imprisonment in Saudi Arabia.
Kevin Mugambi’s relatives say receipts, CCTV footage and an audio recording support his account that alcohol he transported belonged to two diplomats.
The family of Kenyan embassy employee Kevin Mugambi says new evidence could help overturn his three-year Saudi jail sentence. A court convicted him of transporting alcohol that his relatives say belonged to two diplomats in Riyadh.
Mugambi, a junior employee in the embassy’s labour department, is serving his first year in prison. His relatives want Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei to intervene and help secure his release.
Family challenges Saudi jail sentence
Relatives say Mugambi transported the alcohol in his personal vehicle on behalf of two Kenyan diplomatic officers. They maintain that the officers bought the drinks using their diplomatic privileges before handing them to him.
Under the arrangement described by the family, the diplomats could purchase and consume alcohol because of their status. However, Mugambi did not have the same privileges as the officers he allegedly assisted.
The family also alleges that Saudi authorities asked the Kenyan ambassador to clarify whether Mugambi was transporting alcohol for embassy staff. They say the ambassador declined to supply a supporting letter, leaving Mugambi to take responsibility for the drinks.
His friends and relatives consequently question the circumstances of his imprisonment. They argue that he should not bear responsibility for alcohol they say belonged to other embassy employees.
Relatives cite receipts and recorded conversation
To support their account, relatives cite receipts they say identify the two diplomats as the buyers. They say the purchases took place on the day of the incident.
They also claim CCTV footage shows the purchase and the subsequent handover of the drinks to Mugambi. In addition, the family cites an audio recording of a conversation between the diplomatic officers and Mugambi’s wife.
According to the relatives, the officers acknowledged during that conversation that the alcohol belonged to them. The family believes these materials could help establish ownership and support efforts to overturn the conviction.
Relatives have therefore questioned the embassy’s alleged failure to intervene despite this evidence. They want Sing’Oei and the government to examine the circumstances surrounding the conviction and provide diplomatic assistance.
