Man appeals harsh 3-year sentence for stealing one sheep, gets 7 years instead

A man who had been sentenced to three years in jail for stealing one sheep, decided to appeal the harsh sentence but ended up with four more years on top of his sentence.

Victor Wanjala was found guilty of stealing one sheep valued at Ksh.3,000 by a lower court but moved to the court of appeal claiming that the three year sentence was harsh.

Wanjala had pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing stock contrary to section 278 of the Penal Code.

In setting aside the three years imprisonment, Justice Ruth Sitati said the minimum sentence upon conviction of the offence of stealing livestock is seven years while the maximum sentence is fourteen years.

“Having gone through the record, I am satisfied that the plea of guilty entered by the learned trial magistrate was unequivocal,” the court ruled.

The court was told that the offence was committed on March 16, 2018 at Lityei village within West Pokot County, where Wanjala stole a sheep belonging to Richard Mwareng.

Wanjala is accused of having stolen Mwereng’s sheep from his flock and sold it at the local market.

The court was told that when Mwereng noticed his flock was less one sheep, he rushed to Kishaunet market suspecting that since it was a Friday, it might have been taken there for sale.

True to his fears, he was informed that his sheep had been sold to some traders from Kitale. He followed the trail and confirmed that indeed, that was his property even though it had already been slaughtered.

However, the people traders offered to identify the man who had sold them the sheep and accompanied Mwereng to Makutano where they positively identified.