A man who chopped off his neighbour's four left hand fingers over a donkey saddle has been jailed for 20 years.
Omar Yakub Athman, who was before a Lamu court, had denied causing grievous bodily harm to Athman Omar at Tchundwa village in Lamu East on April 29, 2019.
The particulars of the cases before principal magistrate Allan Temba were that Athman was helping a friend only identified as Hamza to collect stones when a jenny (female donkey) entered the compound chased by a jack (male donkey).
The animals left the compound as fast as they had arrived.
Minutes later, Yakub arrived and demanded from the complainant where his donkey saddle was. Omar replied that he had not seen it.
The reply infuriated the accused and he demanded what the victim’s intention was by so responding.
The complainant told him to do as he wished since he had nothing to do with the saddle.
Yakub walked away and returned moments later with a panga with which he attacked Omar, aiming at the head.
Omar protected his head with the left hand. His four fingers were severed and he ran off screaming with the accused chasing him. His left pelvis was cut.
The complainant managed to escape and hide in another neighbour's house from where he was taken to hospital and the matter reported to the police.
In his ruling, Temba said the prosecution had proved beyond doubt that the accused committed the offence.
"The accused person is, therefore, found guilty as charged and is convicted under section 215 of the Criminal Procedure Code," he said.
- mwaniki fm