A judge has showed compassion on a couple who stole wheat flour, and also raised money for them.
On April 13, a couple, Saumu Ali and Evans Odhiambo were arrested and accused of stealing a bale of wheat flour worth Ksh.1,980 from Grain Industry Ltd in Kenya.
During the hearing before Vincent Adet, Senior Principal Magistrate of the Mombasa law court, the duo pleaded guilty to the charges, and explained to the court that they stole the food in order to feed their kids who had gone without food for several days.
Ali said she was undertaking her normal casual jobs when her husband called her to help him carry a bale of flour from a car parked nearby.
She pleaded that she only stole to feed her kids and begged for leniency, swearing never to steal again.
Evans, who was a scrap metal dealer said he had been rendered jobless after president Uhuru Kenyatta’s ban on scrap metal business.
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In his ruling on Wednesday, May 11, Principal Magistrate Vincent Adet pardoned the accused, noting that he had considered the probation report presented before his court by the probation officer.
Giving his judgement on Wednesday, May 11, Principal Magistrate Vincent Adet said;
“On humanitarian grounds, especially for the first accused person, I have considered the circumstances under which the offence was committed and I sympathize with her situation, with three kids under her care and no source of income and am of the view that let buy her a bale of wheat flour and some meat for today,”
The judge further invoked members of the public, journalists, and court officials present to contribute any amount towards Saumu’s food kitty, and kickstarted the drive by handing over Ksh.1000.
