Court fines man Sh5 million for stealing cable worth Sh5,000

An Eldoret court has fined a man Sh5 million for intending to steal Kenya Power cables worth Sh 5,000.

Eldoret Senior Principal Magistrate Harrison Barasa read the sentence to Alfred Odour on Tuesday after testimonies of seven witnesses in the case. 

Alternatively, Oduor will spend one year in prison for the vandalism offense. 

Oduor was arrested in Eldoret South on November 22, 2017 when he was found with 100 conductor cables with Kenya Power serial numbers without permission. 

The magistrate explained that he had arrived on the verdict in accordance with the Energy Act of 2006 (revised 2012) that clearly states the punitive measures for such offenses. 

"I have duly considered the witness testimonies, accused person's mitigation and the nature of offense and I find the accused person guilty. The energy act and section 28 of the penal code direct that a person who commits such an offense is jailed for not less than a year and pays a fine not less than Sh5 million or both and that's the sentence for the accused," read Barasa.  

The surprised accused person was left tongue-tied with tears flowing freely.

Oduor has been in court since November 23, 2017 after he failed to raise a bond of Sh500,000.