Kenya: Court of Appeal Rules Intoxication Does Not Automatically Invalidate Witness Testimony

The Court of Appeal has ruled that a drunk witness can still give reliable evidence in a criminal case.

The decision followed an appeal by a man convicted of murder after a birthday celebration at a Machakos club ended in a fatal assault. The High Court had sentenced him and his co-accused to 25 years in prison.

The appellant argued that the eyewitnesses had been drinking, raising concerns over their perception and memory. He also maintained that the incident was a spontaneous drunken fight…