Nyeri man tells court why he took chang'aa

A man who was charged with being in possession of illicit brew caused laughter at the Nyeri Law Courts Friday when he said he was celebrating his daughter’s success in last year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination.

Mr Joseph Kamunya, who was found in possession of two litres of chang’aa, told the court that he had invited his friends to celebrate his daughter’s success in the exam.

Mr Kamunya told the court his daughter managed to get an Equity Bank's Wings to Fly Programme scholarship.

The suspect was arrested on January 23, 2020, at his home in Witemere Village, Nyeri town, and taken to Nyeri Police Station.

Overcome with excitement, Mr Kamunya told Senior Resident Magistrate Ruth Kefa that he forgot to secure a permit from the area chief before inviting his friends for the party.

“Police unexpectedly stormed my house and arrested my friends and I before we could explain what was going on,” Mr Kamunya told the magistrate.

He was charged with being in possession of an alcoholic drink that does not conform to the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act.

The prosecution, led by Mr Alex Gituma, asked the court to be lenient in its punishment since the accused had been honest in his mitigation.

Mr Kamunya was fined Sh5,000 or alternatively serve 30 days in prison.