The ODM leader Raila Odinga has demanded the unconditional release of Alvin Chivondo, a Kenyan who was sentenced to one year in prison for theft.
In the alternative, Chivondo was fined Sh100,000 by the court for shoplifting Sh3,165 worth of products from a Naivas supermarket.
5 kilograms of rice, 5 litres of frying oil, and 2 kilograms of sugar were among the items.
Raila appealed for Chivondo’s unconditional release in a tweet on Wednesday.
“Let Alvin Linus Chivondo be released unconditionally! Criminals are now getting a reprieve to campaign freely, while petty offenders are being jailed,” Raila said.
His comments were in response to the Director of Public Prosecutions’ decision to put a moratorium on any corruption charges against governors and members of parliament until after the August elections.
The DPP, Noordin Haji, granted lawmakers a substantial reprieve in an exclusive interview with the Star, putting a stop to their graft prosecution until after the electioneering season.
“We don’t want to be accused of making decisions based on political leanings,” Haji said.
While sentencing Chivondo, Raila implied that the courts were acting out of step with the country’s economic position.
“Let the courts get their priorities right, for once, you can’t jail a man for trying to feed his family,” Raila said.
