There was drama at a Nairobi court after a convicted land fraudster wept in court begging for mercy after being jailed.
Kennedy Njenga Nyambura was sentenced to two years for stealing ksh 740,000 in pretense of being able to sell land located at Kaputei North in Kajiado County.
Kennedy Njenga Nyambura was convicted on three counts of obtaining money by false pretenses on various dates between August 2012 and July 2014.
In the first count, he was charged of fraudulently obtaining Ksh 250,000 from Alice Njeri Njoroge by falsely pretending to be in a position to sell her three plots of land located within Kitengela in Kajiado County.
He faced another criminal charge of falsely obtaining Ksh 250,000 as further payment from Nathan Macharia by falsely pretending to be in a land transaction business with Alice Njoroge.
Further he was charged of obtaining Ksh 240,000 from John Njoroge Kariuki by falsely pretending he would sell him a plot on land parcel located within Kitengela.
The court ruled that the prosecution had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt that the accused person indeed committed the offence of fraud.
The trial magistrate SPM Bernard Ochoi said that although the prosecution submitted that the convict was a first-time offender, the victims of the fraud suffered immense loss both monetarily and psychologically.
“I notice that the prosecution said that the accused was a first-time offender, however, this court notes that the victims of the offence suffered great loss and psychological trauma. It is the responsibility of this court to ensure the rights of the victims to get justice is equally protected. I will therefore sentence the accused person to serve two years in count one and two, and twelve months in count three. All the sentences to serve concurrently.” riled the Magistrate.
It was at this point that the convict broke into tears telling court that he fell during a praise and worship session in prison and that he has an aged mother to take care of who will be vulnerable if he is sent to prison.
However, his tears never moved the court as the magistrate directed him to appeal the sentence before the High Court if aggrieved.
