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• Thu Apr 3 2025

Walter Buchanan, 66, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife, Darrel Odhiambo, with a minimum of 15 years before he can apply for parole

Lord Cubie condemned Buchanan?s violent actions, stating that nothing justified the attack that led to Odhiambo?s death, leaving her family and son, Jimmy, devastated

The court highlighted that Buchanan tried to mislead emergency responders and speculated about the cause of Odhiambo?s injuries, despite clear evidence

Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.

Scotland ? A Scottish man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his then 37-year-old Kenyan wife.

Walter Buchanan (l) and his deceased wife Darrel Odhiambo (r) at previous events. Photo: Police Scotland Lanarkshire/Glasgow live.

Source: Facebook

Walter Buchanan, 66, was convicted at the High Court in Edinburgh, where Lord Cubie handed down the sentence, setting the punishment period at 15 years before he could apply for parole.

Buchanan was found guilty of strangling and smothering his wife, Darrel Odhiambo, at their home near Hamilton racecourse on February 18, 2023, following a confrontation after she accused him of cheating.

According to the Judiciary of Scotland, Buchanan, who had been married for six years, attacked his wife, strangling her and restricting her breathing, which ultimately led to her death.

"Nothing that I can do or say in court today can lessen the grief and anguish that the members of your late wife?s family must feel. As you have already been told, the sentence for murder is fixed by law. I must now impose that sentence upon you. I sentence you to imprisonment for life," the judge stated.

What happened before Darrel Odhiambo's murder?

The court heard that Odhiambo, 37, had expressed suspicion over her husband?s whereabouts before the fatal incident.

In his ruling, Lord Cubie condemned Buchanan?s actions, stating that Odhiambo should have been safe in her home and that nothing justified the violence that led to her death.

"You deprived her of many more years of life and left her son, Jimmy, motherless?a further desperate tragedy given his profound and lifelong needs," Lord Cubie added in his statement.

He also noted that Buchanan attempted to mislead emergency responders by downplaying his role in Odhiambo?s death and failing to disclose the altercation.

The post-mortem report confirmed that Odhiambo died from manual restraint and smothering, with the jury concluding that Buchanan either intended to kill or acted with reckless disregard for the consequences.

The judge noted that Buchanan, despite his claims, seemed to have recognised his role in the crime and tried to shift the blame by overstating his wife's condition and later speculating in court about how her injuries might have occurred.

Despite expressing regret in court, Lord Cubie remarked that Buchanan appeared more concerned about the personal consequences of his actions.

Can Walter Buchanan appeal his sentence?

As per Scottish law, Buchanan will serve a life sentence, with a minimum of 15 years before being eligible to apply for parole.

However, Lord Cubie emphasised that his release would depend on an assessment of public safety, and there was no guarantee of parole after the set period.

"I must also determine the punishment part of your sentence, which is the period you must serve in full before you can apply to the Parole Board for Scotland for potential release on licence. I consider that the appropriate punishment part in your case should be 15 years," the court ruled.

Buchanan?s sentence was backdated to March 12, 2024, accounting for time already spent in custody.

More to follow...

Source: TUKO.co.ke