A Nairobi court has shown mercy to a 28-year-old man who admitted to stealing train parts in a desperate attempt to provide for his family, handing him a one-year suspended sentence instead of jail time.
Josphat Kamau Chege was charged with theft under the Penal Code after he was caught stealing three metal radiator grills belonging to the Kenya Railways Corporation, valued at KSh40,566.
The incident happened on January 4, 2026, at around 3:00 pm at the Kenya Railways workshop in Nairobi. Security officers on routine patrol spotted Kamau carrying metal items wrapped in bedsheets.
When they approached him, he attempted to run but was quickly arrested. The recovered grills were later produced in court as exhibits, and Kamau admitted they were the items he had taken.
Appearing before Milimani Chief Magistrate Dolphina Alego on January 6, Kamau pleaded guilty to the charge. He told the court that he did not know the metal parts were important to Kenya Railways and begged for leniency, explaining that he is a father of two and the sole provider for his family.
Kamau revealed that he survives on casual work, mainly ferrying watermelons, while his wife earns a living by doing laundry work in Muthurwa. He added that his family had been left in distress and did not know where he was after his arrest.
Magistrate Alego said the court had considered Kamau’s circumstances and plea for forgiveness but cautioned him against engaging in crime again.
She sentenced him to a 12-month suspended term, meaning he will remain free as long as he does not commit another offence within the period.
Kamau was also informed of his right to appeal the decision within 14 days.
The case has sparked discussion online, with many seeing it as an example of the tough choices faced by struggling families and the court’s effort to balance punishment with compassion.
