A Kabarnet court has convicted a notorious bandit to 10 years imprisonment after being found guilty of possessing an illegal firearm.
Lotubet Eriodo who appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate (SRM) Edwin Mulochi was charged that on June 23, 2022 at Chepilat village in Tiaty East Sub County within Baringo County was found in illegal possession of an AK47 rifle.
Eriodo aged 27 also faced an alternative count of being in possession of 28 rounds of 7.62mmX39 ammunition but denied the two counts as read out to him.
The accused was convicted of the offence of being in possession of a firearm contrary to Section 4(1) as read with Section 4(3) (b) of the FireArms Act Cap 114 LOK, an offence that fetches life sentence on conviction.
He was arrested by police officers based at Loruk police station following a tip off from members of the public who alleged that he was an accomplice in most of the deadly cross border stock theft attacks within the Tiaty East area.
The prosecution counsel called three witnesses who provided evidence against the accused which the magistrate found was beyond any reasonable doubt.
The court was told that Eriodo was found with three spent cartridges and 25 rounds of ammunition after he led the police to a thicket away from Chepilat centre where he had hidden the firearm.
In mitigation, the accused prayed that the court consider the period he has been in custody for he was taking care of an elderly father back at home.
The magistrate in his ruling ordered the convict to serve 10 years in prison with the sentence running from the day of his arrest.
“I have considered the facts that the accused has been in custody since June 27, 2022, I also note from the record that he is a first offender, however this offence fetches a life sentence on convicts,” Mulochi stated.
He ordered the firearm and the 26 rounds of ammunition to be handed over to Kabarnet Police station for onward transmission to Central Firearms Bureau in Nairobi for disposal.
However, the Senior Resident Magistrate gave the accused 14 days right of appeal.
By Michelle Yatich and Joshua Kibet
