• In another story, a man convicted of assaulting a friend said he suspected he has coronavirus, and he should therefore not go to jail.
To what extent would you go to plead with a judge not to send you to jail?
Well, a man convicted of assaulting a friend said he suspected he has coronavirus, and he should therefore not go to jail.
"Your honour, I think I have Covid-19 and I need medication. I can't go to jail without testing [to know my status] my status.," the man told a Nairobi magistrate.
When that didn't seem to work, he sought refuge in his family.
"Your honour, I am the breadwinner and I don't think I am going to jail. I request you to reduce my fine because I only have Sh10,000 with me," he added.
He said he only beat up his friend after a "small agreement", and they are still in talking terms.
The magistrate stood ground but gave him some time to contact his family to help him raise the fine.
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A suspect took offence and protested after a court clerk identified him with the wrong name.
"Your honour, I am David and not Jimmy and l am not a tout! Sorry for the misunderstanding," the visibly annoyed man told Kibera magistrate Charles Mwaniki.
He said that the police forced him to breathe into an alcoblow but he refused, fearing he could contract Covid-19.
"Blowing into an alcoblow puts you at risk of getting infected with coronavirus, your honour. That's why I refused to blow it," he said.
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Covid-19 seems to be causing some interesting domestic quarrels.
This week, a man was taken to court for damaging a thermos flask.
He protested against the charges, saying it didn't make sense because it is his house.
"I am the owner of the house and I am the one who bought that basin and that thermos. I request this court to release to go back home to my children. They are missing me,"he told a Kibera court Magistrate.