A good samaritan, identified as Patrick from Embu County, initiated a conversation online after he asked Kenyans to help him trace the legitimate owner of a box full of shoes.
Patrick, who contacted road safety advocates, Sikika Road Safety, stated that the he could not trace any contacts inside the recovered box.
He, therefore, asked Sikika to publicise the message and aid him in tracking the owner.
"The box had initials [KRT] on it, and I'm kindly requesting to help get the owner. I'm sure that the owner of the box is having a sleepless night," Patrick explained as he called on Kenyans to contact him on a phone number, 0707***787.
Patrick's notice triggered a buzz on Facebook where other Kenyans shared how they returned lost items from various places in the country, including the Nairobi Central Business District.
While responding to Patrick, a Facebook user, Joyce Kangata, claimed that she also recovered lost items and was at a crossroads on tracking the owner.
Joyce reportedly recovered a purse, a bundle of notes, and mobile phone, which she took under her custody.
"I took the items to the nearby Police Station, and the police officers were happy with my kindness," the lady noted.
The lady explained that it was seven years since she surrendered the items to police officers, and claimed that investigations were ongoing.
"Seven years later investigations are still ongoing, and I'm yet to be contacted by the police officers,"she added.
Another good samaritan, Senior Alex, also revealed that he recovered a lost phone in Nairobi, along a bank staircase in Gikomba Market.
"Luckily the phone was still on and unclocked. I then decided to call the last number he had called, and luckily they were together," Alex explained.
Kenyan law demands that lost and found items be returned to their rightful owners within a reasonable time frame.
The law tasks the person who found the lost items to surrender them to the authorities, such as police officers and local government officials.
"A person handles stolen goods if (otherwise than in the course of stealing) knowing or having reason to believe them to be stolen goods he dishonestly receives or retains the goods, or dishonestly undertakes, or assists in their retention, removal, disposal or realisation by or for the benefit of another person, or if he arranges to do so," Under section 322(1) of the Penal Code (cap 63) states.
Similarly, CAP. 355 of Kenyan laws state that there are recovery of fines imposed on people who refuse to hand over lost and found items.
Section 35 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act also adds that you are liable to a two-year jail term or a Ksh200,000 fine or both, if you intentionally fail to reverse or hide electronic payment delivered in error, which ought to be delivered to another person, .
