Magistrate Buys Food for Accused in Heartwarming Courtroom Exchange

A photo of the Milimani Law Courts, Nairobi
A photo of the Milimani Law Courts, Nairobi
Photo
The Judiciary Kenya

A heartwarming incident unfolded at a Milimani courtroom on Tuesday, when Principal Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi offered to buy food for an accused person who claimed to be hungry.

In a video clip of the court proceedings obtained by Kenyans.co.ke, Magistrate Ekhubi was questioning the suspect appearing before him when the exchange took an unexpected turn.

During the questioning, Magistrate Ekhubi asked the accused if he was being treated well in remand at Industrial Area Prison.

"In custody, you are okay? Are you eating well?" the judge quipped, at which the accused stated that he was being treated well but was currently hungry.

benmark ekhubi
A screengrab of Chirf Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi at Milimani Law Courts on Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
Photo
Kenyans.co.ke

The magistrate then asked him what he wanted to eat. He chose milk and bread, which he calculated would cost Ksh120. However, the magistrate gave him Ksh500 and directed that he be taken to get the items.

During the brief interaction, the magistrate voiced concerns about the well-being of the accused, suggesting that he should undergo evaluation.

The magistrate also ordered that the accused be taken to the hospital on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, for assessment.

The accused claimed to be a matatu driver in Umoja and said that he was 20 years old, but did not have an ID card.

He claimed that he had completed a seven-year sentence at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison and should have received his ID upon release.

“I do not have an ID, but I was supposed to get it since I have finished my seven-year sentence in the Kamiti Maximum Prison,” he told the court.

Throughout the proceedings, the accused had the courtroom in stitches with his comical answers to the questions, especially when he tripped himself up and tried calculating the cost of bread and milk by percentage.

He subsequently denied the charges against him, and the magistrate set the next hearing for Thursday, October 9.

Following the clip's viral success, Kenyans online praised the magistrate for showing compassion and concern for the welfare of those before his court.

Undated file image of a gavel on the bench in the courtroom
File image of a gavel on the bench in the courtroom
File
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