A young woman was on Tuesday given a second chance to live after Justice Wilson Masalu Musene took pity on her and sentenced her to only 20 years in Luzira prison, saving her from death by hanging.

Ms Jamila Zubeda from Arua was convicted of murdering her co-wife’s three children by poison and sentenced to death by the High Court in Kampala on April 8, 2008.

But Justice Masalu Musene said Ms Zubeda deserved another chance at life since she is youthful and committed the offence when she was only 13 years old. She has been a death row inmate for the last 13 years.

Zubeda forced her three step-children to drink porridge laced with poison accusing their mother of mistreating her. She also claimed she was angry that she had been married off at an early age.