East African Standard, Nairobi, 5 June 2002

Spurned Lover Gets 14 Years For Assault

By William Faria

A man who burned his girlfriend for turning down his marriage proposal was yesterday jailed for a total of 14 years by an Eldoret court.

Florence Alili Shironje suffered permanent disfigurement after her lover set her ablaze using paraffin.

Ronald Wambulwa Shitanda appeared before Principal Magistrate Lucy Gitari charged that on October 25, 1998, at Kingongo village near Huruma estate in Uasin Gishu District, he caused grievous harm to his girlfriend.

Prosecuting, Inspector Obadiah Magati said that on the material day, the woman was at a relative's house where the accused accosted her and threatened to ruin her life if she refused to marry him.

Magati said later that day at around 8.30 am, Shitanda dragged the woman out of her relative's house and in to his room nearby.

He then poured paraffin on Shironje before setting her ablaze.

He said the victim was rushed to an Eldoret hospital where she has been undergoing treatment for about a year.

The accused was imprisoned for 14 years and ordered to receive 10 strokes of the cane.

Daily Nation, Nairobi, 6 June 2002

Man Jailed For Stealing A Cow To Please Wife

By Luke Kapchanga

A devoted husband has been sent to jail for two years and ordered to receive four strokes of the cane . . . because he tried to satisfy the craving of his wife for meat.

Godfrey Wamalwa Magunda, a cane cutter who had been out of work for months, had no meat to give to his wife, who had just given birth, so with a friend he stole a cow valued at Sh12,000.

He was caught after trying to sell the beast to raise funds for the meat and to pay his wife's hospital bills.

Magunda, aged 26, and his partner in crime Leonard Khisa Nyongesa, were arrested on Thursday last week after a customer told police he was suspicious that the cow was being sold too cheaply.

A frail, dishevelled man wearing a torn black shirt with white spots, Magunda had stolen the cow the previous day at Bongola village after it was tethered for the night by its owner Mr Alfred Ngoni Kisobo.

Magunda and Nyongesa were held in police cells until Tuesday when they were taken before Bungoma court and each sentenced to two years and four strokes.

Senior principal magistrate Charles Moitui said the jail term would serve as a warning to others.