Theft
A middle-aged man was on Friday sentenced by a Murang’a court to serve one-year non-custodial sentence after he admitted charges of stealing household items.
Joseph Mwangi, 34, was charged that on September 13, at Gikandu location in Murang’a county, he stole a cupboard worth Sh9, 000 and a table worth Sh5, 000, property of Phyllis Wambui. Mwangi who appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Eric Musambai pleaded guilty to the charges and pleaded for leniency.
According to the facts presented by the prosecution, the accused was found at a nearby shopping mall where he was trying to sell the items to unsuspecting residents. The items were recovered and taken to the nearest police station as Mwangi was apprehended and charged with theft.
In mitigation, the accused pleaded for forgiveness saying his actions were due to drunkenness and an urgent need for money to buy food. “I seek to be forgiven by this court. I stole due to an urgent need for money to buy food and I won’t repeat the same mistake again. I have learned my lesson,” lamented Mwangi.
The Prosecution asked the court to treat the accused as a first offender and the magistrate ordered that he be engaged in community work during his sentence. “This sentence offers the accused an opportunity for rehabilitation while holding him accountable for his actions,” ruled Musambai.
In the same court, a 49-year-old man was also committed to six months’ non-custodial sentence after he pleaded guilty of stealing a watch. Eliud Ndungu, a widower and father of two was charged that on September 10 at Ihaga village in Gikindu location he stole a watch worth Sh1, 500 property of John Muturi, a milk vendor.
After pleading for leniency, the magistrate ordered the accused to offer community work at Kambirwa chief’s office for six months.