Man cleared in bus bomb case jailed for threating witnesses

Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi has sentenced Warwue Dejene Sar, who recently escaped jail after he was acquitted of a charge of blowing up a bus on Thika Road in 2014, to 14 years in jail for threatening witnesses in the terrorism case.

Mr Andayi said the offence he committed is very serious as it threatens to kill justice and the rule of law.

The magistrate said the witnesses who testified against his son, who was jointly charged with him, never returned to court to testify further.

WITNESSES DISAPPEARED

He said the accused achieved his goal when he made the threats as witnesses disappeared.

"Criminal justice will be thrown into disarray and eventually die slowly," Mr Andayi ruled while sentencing Sar who was treated as a first offender.

Mr Andayi said offenders must be punished heavily.

"Laws will be broken with impunity as offenders will know that they will threaten witnesses and get away with the crime," he stated.

SERIOUS OFFENCE

Threatening witnesses is a very serious offence as it goes to the root of the administration of justice, the magistrate said.

He said those who manage to threaten witnesses will live in comfort saying "nothing will happen to them".

He said the offence calls for a deterrent sentence and proceeded to impose the 14-year jail term.

But he noted that the accused person had been in custody for four years, which would be subtracted them from the 14 years sentence.

He will now serve 10 years.