The 22-year-old man has been jailed to serve 1 year imprisonment or pay a fine of Ksh100,000 after he pleaded guilty to stealing 5 litres of Fresh Fri cooking oil at Naivas super Market and other food items all valued at Ksh 3,165.
The chief magistrate Wendy Micheni while sentencing the accused noted that the Supermarket has been a victim by shoplifters and noted that as of April 12th 2022 she had forgiven other four other suspects facing similar offence.
Alvin Linus Chivondo who is casual labour in mitigation told the court that he and his family slept hungry for three days before opting to steal the food items.
“I have a four-month-old baby and I couldn’t feed my family, your honour you can see I only stole food items,I can’t feed my family since I lost my job” lamented Alvin.
He was arraigned at Milimani Law courts in Nairobi and pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing and handling stolen goods contrary to the law.
“You are charged that on April 10th 2022 at Naivas Development House Moi Avenue in Nairobi, within Nairobi County stole 5kgms Daawat Long Grain Rice, 500gms American Gourmet Honey, 500gms For Yo Kenya tea leaves, 5 litres Fresh Fri Cooking oil,2Kgms Kabras Packed sugar all worth Kshs. 3,165/= the property of Naivas Kenya Limited” read the charge sheet in part.
According to a cover report read out in court by state counsel Anderson Gikunda on a material day, the accused who is a Trolley pusher in Nairobi CBD went to Naivas supermarket Development house branch posing as a customer.
“He picked items from the shelves and placed them in the shopping basket, he picked 5gms Daawat long-grain rice, 500gms American Gourmet Honey, 500gms Farahari ya Kenya tea leaves, 5litres of Fresh Fri cooking oil and 2kgms of Kabras packed sugar all valued at Ksh 3,165, “Gikunda told the court.
The court was told that after the accused picked up the said items he put them in a non-woven carrier bag and walked away without paying for the items.
The staff manning the CCTV cameras noticed and got suspicious, he followed the accused person and arrested him.
The prosecutor told the court that the accused had previously arrested at the said supermarket but was forgiven by the OCS central police station.
