A 19 year old Kenyan man who was sentenced to life imprisonment has been released after it emerged that the key witness in his case, his grandmother, gave false testimony.
Edwin Gathigi walked free on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, after a court found that he had been wrongly convicted and jailed at Nyeri Maximum Security Prison. His release comes more than two years after he was sentenced to life for a defilement offence, based largely on testimony that has since been discredited.
Edwin was convicted after his grandmother told the court that she witnessed him committing the alleged crime. However, in August 2025, she visited him in prison and admitted that she had lied under oath. She told Edwin that she had been influenced by her other daughter to implicate him.
“Please forgive me, Edwin, because I made a mistake. When I made that testimony, I did not think you would end up in jail,” she told him during the visit.
The admission became a central part of an appeal that was heard in October 2025. During the appeal, Edwin’s mother alleged that her sister had orchestrated the accusations against her son as revenge over a long standing personal feud involving a man.
The case later gained public attention after journalist Simon Kibe highlighted Edwin’s plight on YouTube, sparking renewed scrutiny and public interest.
Six months after the story was aired, the court ruled that Edwin’s conviction was unsafe. The judge found that the grandmother’s testimony, which played a key role in securing the life sentence, was false and could no longer be relied upon.
Edwin said he was overwhelmed with emotion when the judge ordered his release.
“I am so happy, I do not even know what to say. I could not believe it when the judge freed me. It was one of the biggest miracles I have ever seen. The judge ruled that I could no longer stay in prison since my grandmother’s testimony, which played a key role in my imprisonment, was false,” he said.
As he walked out of prison, Edwin was dressed in new clothes bought by his mother, who brought them to him a day earlier. He described prison life as harrowing and issued a warning to other young men.
“I would not wish for anyone to be in jail. It was not easy, and I urge young men out there to be careful. Do not wish to have an experience inside a jail. It is the worst,” he said.
Looking ahead, Edwin said he plans to return to school and pursue his long held dream of becoming a chef.
Despite the ordeal, Edwin said he has forgiven his grandmother and is open to meeting her again, although he acknowledged that their relationship may never fully recover.
On his aunt, whom he believes influenced the false testimony, Edwin said he harbours no desire for revenge.
“I would like to tell her that God is not a man. Have a good life, and I am free. I hope I never get to see her again,” he stated.
Edwin’s case has reignited debate around wrongful convictions, the reliability of witness testimony, and the long lasting impact of false evidence on the lives of young people within the criminal justice system.