A mechanic accused of stealing a presidential escort vehicle has been sentenced to death.
Aggrey Odhiambo Achieng was handed the sentence by Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi of Milimani law courts on Wednesday after he was found guilty of robbery with violence.
Odhiambo and four others were charged with stealing a BMW 735 car from Chief Inspector of Police David Machui on August 26th, 2014 in Utawala, Nairobi.
The suspects were armed with an AK 47 rifle and a pistol during the robbery incident, according to the charge sheet.
The court heard that Odhiambo and his co-accused used excessive force on the complainant as they stole the vehicle valued at Sh1.2 million.
Another count was that on August 27th, 2014 at the London estate in Nakuru, in the course of stealing the vehicle, they disposed it of knowing it was stolen or was unlawfully obtained from the government.
The vehicle was recovered on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda three days later in an operation conducted by security officers from Uganda and Kenya.
Two of his co-accused Nelson Topicho Mulati and Robert Mande Ochan have since died while Andrew Young Otieno and Godfrey Ouma Simon were acquitted.
Mulati died under mysterious circumstances along Kangundo Road five months after he was released on a free bond in 2017. Police said his death was from a gun battle.
Ochan, who was a Ugandan and a car dealer, died two years ago in Kampala from what the magistrate said was from natural illness.
Otieno and Simon, who are car dealers in Busia, were acquitted for lack of evidence.
Therein lies the problem in…
Therein lies the problem in Kenya. A violent robber gets a death sentence despite no one dieing. This is a property crime. Meanwhile, actual violent people who maim(Owino), rape(Linturi), and murder (Obado) and a host of thieves in the various legislatures (past and present) in the country all walk free with no consequences sucking at the government teat. His real crime is not being rich and powerful.
Get your facts in order bro…
Get your facts in order bro,attempted robbery with violence/Robbery with violence with or without killing has a hanging or life sentence and the Robbery happened in 2014,Babu Owino’s case is neither robbery nor killing,Linturi case still in court,Obado case still ongoing. We have backlogs in our Judiciary.Its good that you know now
How about the Murderers?…
How about the Murderers? Blatant Murderers?
I get your argument but you…
I get your argument but you might be missing mine. How is justice served by killing a man for a violent property crime in which no one died? I posit that justice is very unequal in Kenya. Take Owino, he was caught on camera attempting to kill a man and actually leaving him crippled. He got out of it by negotiating and the judge allowed it. That isn’t justice. He has a pattern of violent assaults. The same is true of his partner in crime Jaguar. Obado likely killed a person who was pregnant yet he walks free. If this was your vehicle or mine, you wouldn’t see justice for 30 years at the rate justice crawls. Why are they not suspended from their positions of power at a minimum?
@ Mundumugo, I do not know…
@ Mundumugo, I do not know what punishment the laws of Kenya met out for violent robbery crimes of property where no death occurs.But if the judge is apply the law correctly,then someone who robs with violence even if no death occurs gets death is spot on.However, going by laws in USA,which Iam familiar with, the robber in question would not get death penalty,but along stretch of time in the slammer.Death sentence is only applicable when their is death…and I can see why this makes sense,nobody is killed,no loss of life,why create one just for punishment.Hey 35 years in the slammer is no picnic, especially if you are over 50 years…
I’m no historian but I would…
I’m no historian but I would guess that the draconian laws on the books in Kenya are a holdover from the colonial days where justice for Africans was different than for Europeans and Asians. We simply replaced Europeans with the wealthy and powerful who especially amongst my people were the collaborators (Ngati) and the paramount chiefs and their children. 1 oppressor replaced another.
I hope he is allowed to…
I hope he is allowed to appeal.Nobody died and this misuse of death penalty for petty stupid crimes needs to stop How can you take a life over a depreciable asset I thought Kenya no longer had the death penalty .Had he stolen the presidential motorbike could his sentence been lighter .Robbery with violence my foot while real murderers are busy running for elective posts one even wants to be the next president
@ Guest, sure he can appeal…
@ Guest, sure he can appeal if he ,or his lawyer if he has one ,can prove that the judge made an error, which typically amounts to miscarriage of justice. That is in addition to evidence produced not supporting the offence…Obviously as you can see one cannot just appeal because he she thinks that the judgment is unfair… An appeal could also be made latter if new evidence is adduced in future.
@Maxiley YES YOU CAN, FOOL!…
@Maxiley YES YOU CAN, FOOL! Educate yourself on grounds of lodging and appeal!
Did I not say he could? And…
Did I not say he could? And did I not give valid legal grounds for that? I think you are suffering for intellectual myopia .Yoy are the fool. Not all found guilty can appear.
I do not think there is a…
I do not think there is a hangman in Kenya anymore. He has time to appeal.
Why can’t you sentences all…
Why can’t you sentences all the corrupt leaders including you Mr Judge .
Why can’t you sentences all…
Why can’t you sentences all the corrupt leaders including you Mr Judge .
Ridiculous ruling! It’s our…
Ridiculous ruling! It’s our politicians thieves murderers assassins relathieves criminals that deserves a firing squad, not poor kriminos who killed nobody! Preposterous!
The Law of the JUNGLE; the…
The Law of the JUNGLE; the Law that Spares the Real criminals; the MURDERERS???.
Not condoning what happened…
Not condoning what happened here, the real criminals are still roaming around free. The criminals who have repeatedly raped our beautiful mother KENYA. The criminals who have murdered ,maimed and displaced thousands of families from their legally acquired land.