Man who spent 18 years in jail without trial is freed

A Kenyan man who spent 18 years in prison without trial after allegedly killing a woman has walked free.

Authorities ordered that Richard Wambugu, 44, be released after newspapers highlighted his plight last month.

Human rights groups said Wambugu had spent one of the longest periods detained without trial in the country's history.

Wambugu was arrested in 1983 on suspicion of killing his neighbour, but was reportedly declared mentally unfit to stand trial.

In 1991 a doctor certified he was sane enough to face justice but his case never came to court.