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Court frees boy charged with State House trespass
State House in Nairobi. A 15-year-old boy who scaled a wall to enter the mansion compound two weeks ago has conditionally been discharged from custody. FILE PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
A 15-year-old boy who scaled a wall to enter the State House compound two weeks ago has conditionally been discharged from custody.
The jovial teenager emerged from the Milimani Law Courts cells and apologised to President Uhuru Kenyatta for using unorthodox means to try to reach him.
“I sincerely apologise to the President for using unfair means to approach him,” he said while addressing the media outside the court in Nairobi.
He told the Nation that he had tried to reach the Head of State to get assistance to record his 34 gospel music compositions.
A music producer, Joe Kariuki of Candy n Candy Records, has since offered to educate him.
“I have already sought a secondary school in Limuru to take (him),” Mr Kariuki told the Nation.
Chief Magistrate Daniel Ogembo ordered the boy not to engage in any form of crime for a period of two years.
Mr Ogembo also directed the father of the minor to ensure that his son keeps good company for the two years.
If he breaches the terms, the judge said, he would be punished for the current charge of trespassing into a prohibited area.
Lawyer Steve Kimathi, who was defending the teenager, had urged the court to invoke Section 35 of the Penal Code to conditionally discharge him from custody.
“The law does not permit a minor to be locked up in cells with adults. I urge this court to conditionally discharge this minor from custody so that he can be corrected,” Mr Kimathi applied.
