Eldoret court has sentenced a 55-year-old welder to serve a total of 210 years in jail after being found guilty of a series of criminal acts
Humphrey Shilisia had been charged alongside his wife Amina Melisi and David Gazemba who was however acquitted of the robbery with violence charges.
The court said there was no evidence linking the two to the crimes.
Shilitsia was convicted on five counts of robbery with violence and ordered to serve 50 years each for four counts and another 10 years for the fifth count.
Senior Principal Magistrate Naomi Wairimu sentenced ordered that the sentence run concurrently, meaning the accused person will serve 50 years in jail
The first charge against the three accused persons stated that on June 20, 2020, at Wales estate in Kapseret sub-county, Uasin Gishu county while armed with a dangerous weapon, a panga, robbed Gladys Rotich of sh6,000.
Shilisia was separately charged with the offence of rape.
The three were further charged that on the same date and place, they robbed with violence Sh19,300, a property of Yulita Mitei.
They were also charged that on the same date and place, they robbed Moses Rotich of Sh76,8000 while threatening to use actual violence against the victim.
The accused persons were also charged that on the same date and place, they robbed Gilbert Murei of Sh4,800 using violence.
While giving her evidence in chief against Humphrey Shilisia, the complainant, Glady’s Rotich narrated how the attackers stormed into their house at night while wielding a torch.
She said the first accused person sent Sh6,000 from her phone and after he had transferred the money from her husband’s phone, he ordered him to go under the bed.
“He then ordered that I go out with him while brandishing a panga on my neck," said the victim.
In his statement, the first accused person said that on the 20th of July 2020, he woke up to go to his welding job and that on his way back, he stopped to have some music loaded into his USB.
He stated that two police officers from Langas police station stopped him on the way and he complied.
According to the convict, the officers then asked him to take him to his house to carry out a search for a gun and that while in the house, they took a home theatre, TV and Gas cylinder before arresting his wife.
The second accused, in his defence, told the court that he was charged with the robbery with violence offence after he refused to comply with the arresting officer’s directive to implicate someone else in the matter.
“I was framed up charges of robbery with violence after I refused to implicate someone else with the capital office,” said David Gazemba.
While sentencing the first accused, the trial magistrate stated that it was beyond reasonable doubt that indeed the complainant, Gladys Rotich was robbed as alleged.
“Also from the medical doctor’s report, it shows that the complainant was assaulted,” ruled the Magistrate.