A 19-year-old youth has been sentenced to serve two years in jail by a Kabarnet court after he pleaded guilty of stealing five chickens valued over Sh3,000.
Isaac Kosgei committed the offence on the night of July 21 at unknown time at Ketindui, Baringo Central, where he unlawfully and without consent of the owner stole three hens and two cocks from Robert Bowen.
Kosgei appeared before the Principal Magistrate Caroline Ateya on Wednesday to answer charges of stealing.
He was charged with a second count of handling stolen property, and he pleaded guilty to all the charges.
Prosecution counsel Sydney Koech told the court that on July 21 at around 7pm, the complainant arrived home from work and locked up his chickens in the coop and the next morning around 6am he found it wide open and his three hens and two cocks missing.
Koech informed the court that Bowen then alerted his neighbours before heading to Kabarnet town where upon arrival near Equity Bank, he saw a poultry seller with a chicken that resembled his.
The prosecutor stated that the complainant approached the seller and immediately recognized three of his missing chickens, the black, white and brown hens, he then informed the seller that the birds he had were his which were stolen the previous night.
Koech then informed the court that the seller called the accused claiming he was the one who had brought the poultry to him and was even waiting for payment.
He stated that the accused was apprehended by members of the public near Kabarnet Equity bank before he was taken to Kabarnet police station.
The prosecution produced two photographs of the chickens as exhibits in court.
In mitigation, the accused claimed he was raising money for rent and school fees since he lived alone, so he prayed the court to pardon him.
Passing her judgement, the Principal Magistrate stated that she had considered the pre-sentence report and the accused was not suitable for a non-custodial sentence.
She stated that his mother had described him as a habitual petty thief who had failed to reform despite their efforts and was a nuisance to the community.
“The offence here attracts a sentence of up to three years in jail, in the circumstances, the accused is hereby sentenced to serve two years in prison,” Ateya stated.
The court gave the convict a 14-day right of appeal if he is not satisfied with the judgement.
