Eric Omondi pleads guilty, jailed for a month
They were sentenced for taking part in unlawful assembly by demonstrating over high cost of living.
Comedian Eric Omondi and 15 others were on Friday convicted and sentenced to serve one month in prison with an alternative of Sh10,000 fine.
They were sentenced for taking part in unlawful assembly by demonstrating over high cost of living.
Milimani chief magistrate Lukas Onyina convicted Omondi and his 15 co-accused after they changed their plea to guilty
Omondi was charged alongside Peter Mukundi, Elisha Ochieng, Felix Ikutwa, Frank Misango, Alpha Juma, Cyril Isindu, Bonface Bahati, William Leshinka, Walder Sisulu, Philip Kiura, Ken Ndula, Mbwaya Mwale, Duncan Wafula, Rodgers Livoi and Wyclif Ligano on February 21, 2023.
"I have considered the mitigation made and the nature of the offence which is a misdemeanour and the fact that the prosecution has said that they are first-time offenders," the magistrate ruled.
"I have also considered that they have saved the court’s judicial time. Each of the suspects is hereby fined Sh10,000 in default to serve one month in jail."
In mitigation, the convicts prayed for a lenient sentence saying they were advocating against the high cost of living and that the sentence should not be too harsh.
"Your honour please be lenient on us so that it would not discourage other activists from advocating for human rights for fear of being met with the lethal force of the law," the court was told.
They were subsequently given 14 days of appeal if dissatisfied with the sentence.
Initially, they had denied the charges and were released on Sh10,000 cash bail.