A man found guilty of violently robbing two Nairobi residents of their mobile phones and cash, including a Tecno phone, has been sentenced to death.
Isaac Khanga was handed two death sentences on Monday after Principal Magistrate Christine Njagi ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court heard that Khanga, along with unidentified accomplices, committed the offences on the night of November 3, 2024, in Kawangware, Dagoretti Sub- County.
In one of the incidents, Khanga stole a Tecno mobile phone valued at Ksh 24,000 and Ksh 30,000 in cash from a victim he had allegedly threatened with violence.
In a separate robbery on the same night, he robbed another man of a phone worth Ksh 15,000.
Tecno Phone Robber Sentence
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The court was told Khanga carried out the attacks while armed and in the company of others who remain at large.
Magistrate Njagi noted that the sentence aligns with the legal standing in Kenya, stating, “The death penalty remains lawful and has not been declared unconstitutional.”
Although Khanga received two death sentences, one will be held in abeyance.
The case was concluded within six months, a pace hailed by the ODPP as a demonstration of judicial efficiency.
Kenya retains the death penalty for the crime of robbery with violence, although executions have not been carried out in recent years.
Past Death Sentence over Phone Robbery
Early last year, another man accused of using excessive force to steal mobile phones and some cash from two city businessmen was issued sentenced to death.
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Michael Odhiambo was convicted by Kibera senior principal magistrate Phillip Mutua after the prosecution proved the case against him.
Violet Ombati, the plaintiff, had urged the court to grant him a harsh penalty as per the law as the offence was serious.
The charge sheet present in court said the accused person had robbed Peter Kenyatta of Ksh5,000 and a mobile phone worth Ksh14,000 on December 30, 2015, and also robbed John Karani and Peter Gichuhi of different amounts of money and mobile phones on the same date and time.
Ombati called several witnesses who testified in the case including both the victims who experienced the barbaric act from the accused person.
The accused person denied the wrongdoing and pleaded with the court to be lenient with him.
“The mitigation is considered but, in this case, the offence of robbery with violence has been proved and the law provides for only one penalty, a death sentence for the offence,” the magistrate said.
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