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Reprieve for man who shoplifted lotions worth Sh4,500


A suspected shoplifter, who allegedly stole lotions worth Sh4,500 at a shop in South C, Nairobi, has been reprieved after the charges against him were withdrawn.

Gabriel Thuku Kiai, who is reported to have committed the offence on May 21, was arrested at the same shop while allegedly on the same mission three days later.

The accused was charged at the Kibera Law Courts with stealing nine bottles of Nivea lotion at Momasa Enterprises Limited, jointly with others who were not in court.

On the day he allegedly committed the crime, Mr Kiai is said to have visited the shop in the company of another man and two women. They enquired the prices of several items at the shop but left without buying anything.

This raised the suspicion of the shop attendant who decided to review the CCTV footage, which captured the accused committing the crime.

In the footage, the two women are seen coming in with empty bags and leaving with the bags stuffed with items. However, the footage only captured them walking in and out since the area they visited is not covered by the cameras.

There was amusement in the courtroom when Senior Principal Magistrate Philip Mutua sought to know what Mr Kiai thought when he returned to the same shop after three days wearing the same clothes he wore when he allegedly stole at the shop.

Mr Kiai denied the charges and was set free after the shop attendant, who also happened to be the complaint, withdrew the case.