A 22-year-old casual labourer has been sentences to one year in jail after he pleaded guilty to stealing a variety of food items at Naivas Supermarket, Moi Avenue in Nairobi.

Alvin Linus Chivondo pleaded guilty to shoplifting five litres of Fresh Fri cooking oil, a packet of rice, a packet of sugar among other food items with a total value of Sh3,165.

While sentencing him, Milimani Chief Magistrate Wendy Micheni said Naivas supermarket was a target of shoplifter after she pardoned four suspects facing similar charges on April 12.

Chivondo, who is casual labour after losing his job, pleaded for the court’s clemency saying his family members had slept hungry for three days prompting him to resort to shoplifting.

“I have a four-month-old baby and I could not feed my family. Your Honour, you can see I only stole food items. I can not feed my family since I lost my job,” pleaded Chivondo.

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The accused pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing and handling stolen goods in violation of the law when he was arraigned at Milimani.

“You are charged that on April 10, 2022 at Naivas Development House Moi Avenue in Nairobi, within Nairobi County, you stole 5kg Daawat Long Grain Rice, 500g American Gourmet Honey, 500g of Yo Kenya tea leaves, 5 litres of Fresh Fri Cooking oil, 2Kg of Kabras packed sugar all worth Sh3,165, the property of Naivas Kenya Limited,” read the charge sheet in part.

Naivas employees, who were manning CCTV cameras, got alarmed on noticing Chivondo’s suspicious movements in the supermarket, followed him and arrested him for shoplifting.

The prosecutor informed the court that the accused had been arrested previously at the same supermarket but was pardoned by the OCS based at Nairobi Central Police Station.