Alvin Chivondo arrested for shoplifting again after being saved by Sonko
Alvin Linus Chivondo before a Nairobi court on April 13, 2022 where he was sentenced to one year in prison for shoplifting.
A month ago, Mr Alvin Chivondo, a city resident, asked the court to forgive him after he was convicted for shoplifting at a Naivas Supermarket store. He promised not to repeat the offence after a Nairobi court jailed him for stealing.
However, no sooner had the dust settled than he was arrested for again for shoplifting. Mr Chivondo, 21, was on Thursday night arrested at Naivas Supermarket on Nairobi's Ronald Ngala Street for shoplifting.
Nairobi Central Sub County Police Commander David Baariu told Nation.Africa that Mr Chivondo had been detained at the station awaiting arraignment on Monday.
Appearing before Milimani Chief Magistrate Wendy Kagendo on April 15, he admitted to two counts of stealing and handling stolen goods from Naivas Kenya Limited worth Sh3,165. He was jailed for one year or alternatively fine of Sh100,000.
Mr Chivondo told the court that he and his family had slept hungry for several days, prompting him to steal.
The court also heard that he had been arrested for stealing goods at the same supermarket on April 3, 2022. The court was also told he was taken to Central Police Station.
The convict was unable to pay the fine before Kenyans of good will came to his rescue. As the news of his verdict circulated online, Kenyans expressed empathy and even offered to crowdsource funds to secure his freedom.
Comedian YY led Kenyans in this drive. The ODM party leader tweeted demanding his unconditional release. Former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko oversaw his release, gave him a month’s worth of shopping, and offered him a job at his Upper Hill offices.
“We’ve offered Alvin Chivondo a job at our Upper Hill offices and our team in the office has shown him what his job entails,” Mr Sonko said then. “Am happy the young man is now free. It's my hope he will be a responsible man.”
Mr Chivondo, however, will be back to the same courts where he asked to be pardoned. He will be charged with shoplifting once the police complete investigations.
