To some, John Kalipa is a dangerous repeat offender; to others, he is a man trapped in a cycle shaped by cattle rustling culture, bullets and a past he never outran.
The Ugandan was arrested on the night of April 14, 2024, on Mawingu road in Makutano township, West Pokot county after members of the public reported him for hawking a gun and rounds of ammunition to anyone willing to buy.
According to police, he was in possession of an AK-47 rifle, wrapped in cloth, and 19 rounds of live ammunition, attempting to sell.
He was convicted by the Senior resident magistrate’s court in Kapenguria for three charges: being in possession of a firearm without a certificate, possessing ammunition unlawfully and being in Kenya without valid immigration documents.
He was sentenced to 12 years in prison. It emerged he was a repeat offender who had been jailed before for the same crime.
Kalipa challenged the conviction at the High Court, but on April 30, 2025, the court upheld both the conviction and the sentence, ruling that the case had been properly tried and proven.
Investigators who probed the case told the court they acted on a tip from three members of the public, who claimed Kalipa was seeking a buyer for an illegal firearm.
The officers tracked him to a junction near Panama Bar, where they say they intercepted him carrying the weapon.
“We found one bullet in the chamber and eighteen more in the magazine,” Cpl. Adan said. “It was wrapped in green, white and black cloth.”
Kalipa’s defense was firm: he said no photos were taken of the arrest, no fingerprints were collected and the alleged informants were never brought to court. “I was set up,” he insisted. “They knew me from before.”
Kalipa had previously served time for a similar offence — convicted in 2010 and released in 2015. He argued this history biased the police and court against him.
But the High Court rejected his arguments.
“The absence of photographs or fingerprint evidence does not negate the credibility of the officers’ testimony,” the judge ruled.
The court also confirmed that Kalipa, was in the country illegally, without a visa or permit, adding another layer to his legal troubles.
With his appeal dismissed, Kalipa will serve his sentence in Kenya. For residents of West Pokot, his case has become a cautionary tale about the cross-border gun trade — and a man who, once again, couldn’t outrun his past.
Instant analysis
Kalipa’s case exposes the persistent challenge of cross-border arms trafficking along Kenya’s western frontier. The ruling also signals the Judiciary’s growing resolve to deal firmly with repeat firearm offenders.
