Enumerator charged with reporting to work drunk, misplacing KNBS equipment

A census enumerator was Friday charged with reporting to work while drunk and misplacing enumeration equipment in a Murang’a court.
Samson Ndirangu was charged that on August 29, he was found drunk in a house at Mukuyu area near Murang’a town, where he was earmarked to count residents in ongoing national population and housing census.
At the time he was found, the enumerator was without equipment allocated to him so as to facilitate the exercise of enumerating people.
Appearing before Resident Magistrate Victoria Ochanda the accused who is a fourth year student at Chuka University pleaded guilty to the office.
The facts presented in court by the lead prosecutor Edith Otieno is that, the supervisor of the enumerator reported that Ndirangu was missing, prompting search where he was found sleeping unconsciously at one of his girlfriend’s house.
She narrated that a local village elder among other officers from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics rushed Ndirangu to Murang’a Level 5 hospital where he regained consciousness after medication.
“The enumerator then led officers to a house of another lady where the missing enumeration equipment was found. After assessment the tablet, power bank among other items, they were all found to be in order,” Otieno told the court.
Ndirangu was detained in Murang’a police station waiting to be charged with contravening oath of secrecy he took before he commenced the work of enumeration.
In his mitigation, the accused pleaded for leniency saying he is a fourth year student and expecting to graduate 2019, adding that he had already covered the assigned area.
In the judgment, he was ordered to pay a Sh 20, 000 fine or in default serve a four month imprisonment.
By Bernard Munyao