A housewife from Zambezi area in Kikuyu Sub County wept uncontrollably on Tuesday, after her epileptic husband was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment for stealing 53 steel pipes from Dangote industries limited in Kikuyu town.
Jane Njoki broke down in court soon after Principal Magistrate (PM), Zipporah Gichana jailed Lezan Komora (35) for theft of the pipes valued at Sh.150, 000.
Njoki disrupted proceedings for about five minutes while the magistrate looked at her before ordering her to leave the courtroom.
The husband had been charged with theft and convicted on his own plea.
“Based on your own admission of the facts, I find you guilty of the charge and I convict you accordingly. I have also noted that you are a first offender who readily admitted the charge without wasting the court’s time, hence, you deserve leniency therefore I sentence you to 30 months imprisonment with effect from February 25th the day you were arrested,” said the magistrate while delivering judgment.
Gichana ordered that the steel pipes presented in court as exhibits be returned to the complainant, Dangote industries limited.
In mitigation, Komora had pleaded with the court to be lenient to him saying he was epileptic and his wife suffers from sickle cell anaemia and he should always be with her.
Facts before the court read by State Counsel, Betty Wambua stated that on the February 23th around 07:00 hours, Evans Kinuthia , a coordinator at Dangote industries limited discovered that some steel pipes were missing at the plant and immediately reported the matter to Kikuyu police station.
Following the entry of the report, investigations were instituted and that while they were proceeding with their investigations, the police officers later received information on the 25th February 2019 that some people were offloading steel pipes at a shop in a small market in Zambezi area.
The court heard that police proceeded to the said shop and after probing, the owner directed them to the accused who was consequently arrested and charged accordingly.
Upon taking plea on his initial arraignment in court, he admitted to the offence but the prosecution sought time to compile more facts as the accused remained in custody.
The accused was granted 14 days to appeal if not satisfied with the sentence.
By Lilian Muringi
