A court in Eldoret has sentenced a tenant to 12 months in jail for biting off his landlord’s ear during a quarrel over rent.
Stanley Kipchumba was granted a Sh100,000 fine in alternative for the
offence
committed on January 10, 2017, at Junction area in Eldoret East.
He was charged with causing grievous bodily harm to Hillary Rotich.
Rotich had ordered Kipchumba to vacate his house over accrued rent arrears.
"I am remorseful of what happened because I did it out of anger. I did not intend to cause harm to my landlord but since it happened, I am very sorry," Kipchumba said in mitigation before Chief Magistrate Charles Obulutsa.
Kipchumba pleaded with the court to give him noncustodial sentence saying he is a law-abiding citizen.
However, the court found Kipchumba guilty.
"As a first offender, the court has considered your mitigation but I order that you pay a fine of Sh100,000 or in the alternative serve 12 months in prison," said Obulutsa.
He has 14 days to appeal.
Rotich had testified how the accused attacked him after he went to ask him to vacate due to accumulated rent arrears.
"I did not expect him to do that but he suddenly pounced on me biting off my ear," said the landlord.
