A gang member convicted of robbery with violence after his romantic feelings towards one of his victims – a house girl – led to his arrest, made a special request to court during his sentencing.
The man who was part of a gang that robbed a household in Nakuru county requested for leniency from the court stating that he was too young to be condemned to live behind bars.
In his mitigation before Principal Magistrate Yvonne Khatambi, the 24-year-old man, pleaded with the court for a non-custodial sentence indicating that would want to be a productive member of the society.
“I am at a young age and do not want to spend the rest of my life in custody. I have undergone counselling and would like to be allowed to go back home and give back to the community,” pleaded the suspect.
An undated image of a police Landcruiser on board with police on patrol
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In a robbery that was committed in 2017 by three thugs, the suspect had developed romantic feelings towards one of his victims during their 8 hours of terror at a home.
It was this love attraction that led to his arrest on what was to be a lunch date.
He however claimed to have reformed, after spending five years in remand where he underwent much counselling.
In his submissions, the suspect alluded to being the only son who lived with his mother and grandmother at Kiti estate in Nakuru town.
The suspect together with his two accomplices was convicted of capital offences after it was established that they raided the home of a businessman and farmer in Bahati sub-county.
The gang terrorized the family as they made themselves comfortable in the house preparing food, watching television, and toasting it with wine from the house before riding in the victim’s vehicle.
A witness in the case testified that the gang members ordered the family members to lie on the floor in the living room before tying their hands with ropes.
The suspect would however be attracted to the housemaid where he requested for her phone number and assured her of her safety.
However, his fellow gang member would later on sexually assault the maid which resulted in him calling her to meet up to apologise when the police pounced.
The suspects were afterwards arrested and jointly charged with robbery with violence, possession of stolen property and gang rape.
Nakuru Law Courts building opened by Chief Justice David Maraga on December 4, 2020
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