Stephen Munyakho, a Kenyan who spent 14 years on death row in Saudi Arabia, has opened up about the incident in 2011 that changed his life forever. He regrets losing patience during a confrontation that ended with the death of his friend and co-worker, Abdul Halim.

In an interview with Citizen TV on Wednesday, Munyakho said the tragedy was not intentional but a misunderstanding that escalated quickly.

“This tragedy that happened was something that I cannot even tell how it came about. Abdul Halim was a good friend of mine, and we used to work together. Whatever transpired thereafter is something that hurt me so much because I never thought somebody could die from my hands,” he said.

Munyakho worked as a warehouse manager in a restaurant while Abdul managed petty cash. Their relationship was close, and Munyakho spoke warmly about Abdul’s family.

“We were very good colleagues and we related well. He had two wives. His first wife was a Thai national, and they had a daughter, Susan. I used to hold her in my hands,” he recalled.

The conflict began when Munyakho went to collect his salary but Abdul refused to let him leave, using harsh words.

“I was supposed to go collect my salary, but he wasn’t willing to let me go,” Munyakho said. “He used words that were not very good, and I couldn’t take them.”

The argument quickly turned physical, marking Munyakho’s first ever fight. “It was my first ever fight in life. I’ve never been known to be a fighter. My mother can even testify to that. I’ve always been known to be a peacemaker,” he said.

Abdul had a knife in the office, which he frequently used to open cartons. A security officer at their workplace had seen Abdul with the knife several times.

“He used it on me first. I was stabbed in the hand and thigh. After that, I used the same knife on him. He sustained only one stab wound,” Munyakho explained.

He stressed that Abdul did not die from the wound but because he delayed going to the hospital.

“The doctor’s report said the main cause of death was that he lost a lot of blood because he delayed going to the hospital. It was just a mistake. I didn’t intend for it to happen,” Munyakho said.

The incident occurred on April 9, 2011, sixteen years after Munyakho first travelled to Saudi Arabia in 1996 with a valid working visa to take up a computing job at the restaurant.

“I got a visa and went through the Ministry of Labour. At the time, nothing was like what we’re seeing today with people being duped by agents. Mine followed the correct procedures,” he said.

He warned fellow Kenyans against falling victim to fake recruitment agencies, explaining that those who bypass official channels often lose contact and support once abroad.

“There are genuine agencies and those that are just in it by name. Once someone takes the first flight out, the agent’s phone goes off. If you didn’t pass through the Ministry of Labour, even the embassy won’t know where you are,” he noted.

Munyakho, who had studied computer packages after high school, said he met all the job requirements when he left Kenya and never imagined that a salary dispute could cost a life.

“I hadn’t done in-depth studies, but I had done the necessary computer packages that the job required. Even when they told me Abdul had passed on, I could not believe it. I was shocked,” he said.

Munyakho also nearly died from his injuries after being stabbed twice and was rushed to hospital.

“The distance from the accommodation to the hospital was about seven minutes. But at that time, I took two pints of glucose. The doctor said if I had delayed a little longer, I wouldn’t be alive today,” he said.

After the fight, Munyakho was arrested, charged, and sentenced to death by a Saudi court. He remained on death row for 14 years before finally being released recently.