Magistrate Buys Three Shirts For Suspect Facing Incest Charges

Category: Crime News

A Mombasa magistrate offered to buy a suspect three shirts after he made an emotional appeal in court, has fulfilled his promise.

The suspect, Richard Christopher Odhiambo, who once again appeared before the court in a torn shirt, was handed over the shirts by Senior Principal Magistrate Vincent Adet when the matter came up for mention on Wednesday, October 5.

Odhiambo, who was unable to utter a word following the surprise, gathered courage after a few seconds of silence and thanked the magistrate for the kind gesture.

“Am unable to speak but all l can say is may God bless you. Thank you. Asante sana,” he said in a shaken voice before staring at other suspects as he fought back tears.

Adet at the same time declined Odhiambo’s application to have his case transferred to Kisumu.

“I hereby dismiss one of your applications to have the matter transferred to Kisumu where you can easily access your family. However, your second request to have clothes which is a basic need has been allowed and l have bought you a few shirts,” Adet ruled.

On Monday, the suspect claimed he had been forced to wear torn clothes after the prison authorities said they couldn’t give him clothes because he was yet to be sentenced.

“I plead with you to order the facility to provide me with clothes. I have nothing to wear not even an inner-wear. They declined to give me clothes saying that am yet to be sentenced and am truly suffering. I walk around naked with torn shorts exposing my private parts,” he pleaded.

Odhiambo is facing charges of incest and is being held at the Shimo La Tewa GK prison after he was unable to raise the bond set for him to be released.

In May this year, Adet hit headlines after leading an impromptu fundraiser in court to support a couple that had been charged with stealing a bale of wheat flour.

The woman identified as Saumu Ali was overwhelmed by emotions as she told the court why she stole the flour.