Woman finally secures freedom after eight months in remand

Nyeri, Kenya: A woman has been acquitted by a Nyeri court after spending eight months in remand for allegedly stealing a keg liquor pump valued at Sh40,000.

Agnes Wanjira is a 'free' woman thanks to the weak evidence adduced by the prosecution. "The evidence by the prosecution fell short of the requisite standard of proof," ruled the magistrate.

Ms Wanjira had been charged with stealing the liquor pump belonging to Peter Mukabi on July 26, 2013 at Uaso Nyiru in Nyeri.

In her sworn defence, Wanjira admitted to have been in possession of the liquor pump, but denied stealing it.

"I took the pump because the complainant had not paid me for two consecutive months. I was then working in his bar," she said. She denied leaving the bar's premises with it.

Sworn affidavit

"At that time, I was staying in a house connected to the bar's counter, which the complainant himself gave to me. That's where I left the pump," she told the court.

She said the complainant was pressing charges against her not because of the pump, but because of quarreling with his wife and refusing to go back to work.

In his testimony, the complainant denied employing the accused, saying she was merely an opportunistic friend of two barmaids who at the time were operating at the bar.

"When I went to the bar that day, I found the pump missing. On investigating, I got to know that the pump was on sale at Endarasha (selling point), and that it was the accused who was behind the sale," he said.

After reporting the matter to Endarasha police station, the complainant was assigned a police officer who accompanied him to Endarasha. The investigating officer confirmed having accompanied the complainant.

"We found the accused at Endarasha drinking beer. She, however, did not have the pump with her," said the Prosecutor.

The accused, it was alleged, directed them to the bar where they found the pump.

In further contradiction to the complainant's testimony, the police officer told the court that the accused had indeed been working at the complainant's bar.