Pilots attached to the Kenya Armed Forces are subjected to strict rules to ensure the safety of those on board and the country at large.
According to the Armed Forces Act, failing to adhere to some of the rules could lead to a jail term after after a rigorous court trial.
Kenyans.co.ke compiled a list of several offenses and the penalties associated.
If a pilot flying an aircraft from the armed forces uses it to annoy the public or in a way that is a nuisance to the public is guilty of an offense and sentenced to not less than two years in prison.
All pilots are required to fly the aircraft at the prescribed height unless when landing or taking off failure to which he/she is sentenced to not less than two years in prison.
If the pilot causes capture or destruction by the enemy of any aircraft of the armed forces or any cooperating forces is guilty and can be sentenced to death by court martial.
Additionally, if willfully or negligently the pilot causes an aircraft to be captured, lost, destroyed, damaged, stranded, or hazarded by the enemy, he/she is sentenced to life imprisonment.
On the other hand, failure to execute orders from superiors with the intent of protecting the enemy could result in life imprisonment.
A pilot is not allowed to take any aircraft, ship, vehicle, equipment, or store abandoned by the enemy for any reason besides public service. All found guilty risk being jailed for 10 years or less.
Also, if the pilot permits goods or merchandise intended for disposal or delivery on board, he/she risks being sentenced to two years in prison or less.
According to the Act, any pilot who makes any omission in flying an aircraft of the armed forces which causes or is likely to cause loss of life or bodily injury can be sentenced to life imprisonment.
During military operations, the pilot is not allowed to take an aircraft of the enemy as a prize without sending to the High Court all the aircraft’s papers or ship’s papers, as the case may be, found on board.
Anyone found guilty is sentenced to five years in jail.
Additionally, anyone who strikes or otherwise ill-treats any person who is on board an aircraft or ship taken as a prize, or who unlawfully takes from any such person anything in his possession is handed a five years jail term.
"Any person subject to this Act who is in command of an aircraft or ship and who ) unlawfully makes any agreement for the ransoming of any aircraft, ship or goods taken as a prize shall be guilty of an offense," reads part of the Act.
"Any person subject to this Act who makes or signs a certificate relating to any aircraft of the armed forces or any aircraft material without having ensured its accuracy shall be guilty of an offense and liable, on conviction by court-martial, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or any less punishment," reads the Act in parts.
