Three children stunned an Isiolo court, on Monday, September 23, when their persistent cries moved a magistrate to set their father free despite him getting a six-month sentence.
In a report carried by Daily Nation, John Mugaa, from Kulamawe in the outskirts of Isiolo town, was arrested on Friday, September 20, after he was nabbed selling fries in an unhygienic environment.
He was subsequently detained for three days until he appeared before Chief Magistrate Samuel Mungai on Monday afternoon where he pleaded guilty.
“The offence cannot be taken lightly as selling food in unhygienic conditions can result in poisoning and even cause deaths,” ruled the magistrate.
Looking forlorn, Mugaa begged the court to give him a lesser sentence considering that he was the breadwinner and a father of three children.
“I beg this court to consider the lives of my three children who rely on me and pray for a lenient decision,” he pleaded.
He was, however, sentenced to six months in prison with an option to pay Ksh20,000 fine. He could only raise Ksh9,000.
The children wandered along the court's precincts, some of whom were wailing, struck by the thought of their father's incarceration.
“We came here with my elder brother carrying our two-year-old younger brother hoping that our father would be released. We fear that he may be jailed,” a young girl told the court's clerk.
This prompted her to ask her colleagues to raise the file money for their father and luckily, they managed to get Ksh11,500 securing his release.
Mugaa thanked the court for the kind gesture.
