Ruth Kamande, who came to the limelight after she won the Miss Langata Prison beauty pageant, was on Thursday sentences to death for murdering her boyfriend.

The 22-year old was found guilty for stabbing her lover Farid Mohammed 22 times.

High Court judge Jessie Lesiit ruled that Kamande's actions proved malice, therefore, warranting the death sentence prescribed for the capital offence of murder.

Her lawyer had pleaded for leniency on the basis that she was the only child of a single mum and the fact that she was a very young girl when she committed the crime.

Her legal team further claimed that she had converted to Islam and was deserved a chance to turn her life around.

The judge, however, insisted that Kamande's case needed to serve as an example to young people who may be involved in bad relationships.

"I want the youth to know it is not cool to kill your boyfriends or girlfriends. Instead, it is cool to walk away and forget," Jusge Lessit said in her ruling.

Kenya does not implement the death sentence and Kamande will now serve a life sentence.