Nwoya man jailed two years for stealing saucepans
What you need to know:
- While appearing before a Grade One Court on Wednesday afternoon, Brian Opiyo, a resident of Ladyema village, Lungulu Sub County in Nwoya District revealed that he stole the saucepans, a jerrycan, a pair of gumboots, and a jacket, all valued at Shs150,000.
A 21-year-old man in Nwoya District will have to spend two years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to stealing three saucepans.
While appearing before a Grade One Court on Wednesday afternoon, Brian Opiyo, a resident of Ladyema village, Lungulu Sub County in Nwoya District revealed that he stole the saucepans, a jerrycan, a pair of gumboots, and a jacket, all valued at Shs150,000.
The presiding magistrate Ms Susan Anyeko court heard from the prosecution that Opiyo stole the items from the house of one of his neighbors identified as Mr Jude Bill Okema on May 20.
He was charged with housebreaking and theft contrary to section 295(1) and 254(1), (254) (1), and 261(1) of the penal code act respectively.
When asked to respond to the charges, Opiyo pleaded guilty to the offences saying that although he had entered Mr Okema’s house to get drinking water, he heard a voice telling him to also steal the properties.
“I have an illness that at times causes me to faint and all of the sudden I become blind and that is how I got myself in the house of Okema with a voice asking me to pick some of the properties from the house,” he said.
When asked to make a request to court before being sentenced, Opiyo instead kept quiet.
The Resident State Attorney Mr Patrick Akoko asked the court to sentence Opiyo to three years over theft and two years over the housebreaking.
“Theft carries a maximum of five years and housebreaking seven years in the Uganda courts of law, but since he did not waste court’s time and being a first-time offender, I ask this court to give him a lenient sentence,” he said.
“Theft cases are becoming rampant and there is a need for deterrent measures. For that matter, am sentencing you to two years at Nwoya government prison,” Ms Anyeko ruled.
She noted that it was most disappointing that the thieves turned out to be young and abled people who should be engaging in productive activities instead of stealing from others.
“Am sure two years in prison are full of hard work. He shall learn to work for himself other than stealing,” Ms Anyeko said.
