Penal Code — Kenya's criminal statutes subject to constitutional review in cases involving armed robbery sentencing, sexual offences, and rape prosecutions.
News reports
Order a long-term news report on Penal Code
Every mention in the Kenyan press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The Standard
The High Court has declared a section of the Penal Code which provides for a mandatory death sentence for anyone convicted of robbery with violence unconstitutional. …
Mandatory death sentence for robbery with violence unconstitutional, court rulesThe Standard
Is homosexuality outlawed in Kenya, and is it the same as carnal knowledge against nature, which is prohibited and criminalized by Section 162 of the Penal Code? …
Is depicting homosexuality a crime? Supreme Court hears Rafiki caseCitizen Digital
… The suspects are being investigated for alleged money laundering contrary to Section 3 of the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act and obtaining money by false pretences contrary to Section 313 of the Penal Code. …
14 suspects arrested over alleged money laundering detained for 14 daysThe Standard
… The judge said that Chai should have been charged under Section 146 of the Penal Code touching on rape of a person with disabilities instead of Section 7 of the Sexual Offences Act (SOA) No. …
DPP faulted for bungling case of man accused of raping mentally challenged womanCapital News
… The Commission said Kenya had made important progress in moving towards a rights-based approach to mental health, particularly following a landmark High Court decision in January 2025 that declared Section 226 of the Penal Code unconstitutional. …
Four lives lost to suicide every day as KNCHR sounds alarmThe Standard
… rved, adding that "the contents of the affidavits can always be challenged through rigorous cross-examination." The eight students, all aged above 16, had earlier formally pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of murder contrary to Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code …
Why Utumishi Girls minors have been denied bailThe Standard
… lar amount before his release.Kyama was arraigned before the Milimani Law Courts on two counts of unlawfully accessing the precincts of Parliament contrary to the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act and malicious damage to property contrary to Section 339(1) of the Penal Code …
'Mr Speaker Sir' freed on Sh100,000 bond in Sh41m Parliament damage caseCitizen Digital
… CS Ogamba underscored that the eight learners would remain in custody as investigations continue, with those found culpable set to face charges under the Penal Code and other relevant laws. …
Utumishi Girls' board dissolved, three teachers facing disciplinary action after deadly fireThe Standard
… This is the reality of a gap between our Constitution and a colonial-era Penal Code that has never been updated.This gap was at the heart of Civil Appeal No. …
Ruling on abortion endangers women's lives, medics freedomCitizen Digital
… The court observed that this constitutional framework explains the existence of punitive provisions under Sections 158, 159, and 160 of the Penal Code, which criminalize unlawful abortion practices. …
Court of Appeal declares abortion is not a fundamental rightKenya's High Court has ruled that Section 29(2) of the Penal Code, which mandates a death sentence for robbery with violence, is unconstitutional. Justice Kizito Magare found that the provision denies courts the opportunity to weigh circumstances and the degree of harm before sentencing.
7 hours ago · The Standard →
Kenya's High Court has ruled that Section 29(2) of the Penal Code, which mandates a death sentence for robbery with violence, is unconstitutional. Justice Kizito Magare found that the provision denies courts the opportunity to weigh circumstances and the degree of harm before sentencing.
7 hours ago · The Standard →
The Supreme Court is hearing arguments on whether depicting homosexuality constitutes a crime under Kenya's Penal Code Section 162, which prohibits carnal knowledge against nature.
14 October 2026 · The Standard →
The JKIA Law Courts authorized the DCI to detain 14 suspects for five days while investigating allegations of money laundering and obtaining money by false pretences, following arrests at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on September 1, 2026.
2 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The High Court in Malindi acquitted a man convicted of raping a mentally ill woman after finding the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution drafted defective charges under the wrong statute. Justice Francis Kyambia faulted the ODPP and lower court for failing to properly establish the victim's vulnerability and for charging under Section 7 of the Sexual Offences Act instead of Section 146 of the Penal Code.
22 September 2026 · The Standard →
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has called for urgent action on Kenya's suicide crisis, noting that the Ministry of Health estimates four people die by suicide daily, but cautioning that the true scale is unknown due to the absence of a national suicide registry and persistent stigma.
10 September 2026 · Capital News →
The Kibera High Court has declined to immediately release eight Utumishi Girls Academy students charged with murder in connection with a school dormitory fire that killed 16 fellow students, with the judge ordering a comprehensive social inquiry report before ruling on bail.
1 July 2026 · The Standard →
Ezekiel Kyama Nzyoki, known as "Mr Speaker Sir," has been released on a Sh100,000 personal bond after pleading not guilty to charges of unlawfully accessing Parliament Buildings and causing malicious damage to property worth Sh41.2 million during the June 25, 2024 demonstrations. Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Caroline Mugo found that the prosecution had failed to demonstrate compelling reasons to deny him bond.
29 June 2026 · The Standard →
The Ministry of Education has dissolved the Board of Management of Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, following a deadly fire that claimed 16 learners' lives. The board was disbanded for failing to ensure compliance with the School Safety Manual and Basic Education Regulations, with safety lapses including dormitory overcrowding and a locked exit door.
29 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
An opinion piece argues that a Court of Appeal judgment on abortion creates barriers to safe care, citing the case of a 16-year-old who died from unsafe abortion complications and a healthcare worker prosecuted for providing emergency care. The author notes that an estimated 464,000 women have induced abortions annually in Kenya, with over 119,000 treated for complications in health facilities.
7 May 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya's Court of Appeal ruled that abortion is not a fundamental right under the Constitution, though it is permissible in narrow circumstances including emergency medical treatment where the mother's life or health is in danger or where another written law permits it.
24 April 2026 · Citizen Digital →