Raila Odinga demands unconditional release of Naiva shoplifter Alvin Chivondo

ODM leader Raila Odinga has called for the immediate release of Alvin Linus Chivondo who was sentenced to 1 year in jail or a fine of Sh100,000 for shoplifting.

Linus was accused of stealing 5kgs of rice, 5 litres of cooking oil, 2kgs of sugar and other items valued at Sh3,165 from a Naivas Supermarket branch in Nairobi.

Odinga sympathised with the convict who told the court that he stole the items to feed his family.

Alvin Chivondo who was sentenced to 1 year in jail or a fine of Sh100,000 for stealing goods worth Sh 3,165 Pulse Live Kenya

The former prime minister also criticised some judicial officers for what he considered as favouritism by jailing the young man but allowing politicians facing cases to campaign freely without prosecution.

“Let Alvin Linus Chivondo be released unconditionally! Criminals are now getting a reprieve to campaign freely, while petty offenders are being jailed. Let the courts get their priorities right, for once, you can't jail a man for trying to feed his family,” Odinga said in a post on Twitter.

Chivondo pleaded guilty to two charges of theft and handling stolen items before Milimani Law Courts chief magistrate Wendy Micheni.

Alvin Chivondo who was sentenced to 1 year in jail or a fine of Sh100,000 for stealing goods worth Sh 3,165 Pulse Live Kenya

However, defending his action, Alvin who works as a trolley pusher in the Central Business District (CBD), informed the court that he and his family were forced to sleep hungry for three days.

He also stated that he has a four-month-old child and that he has been unable to feed his family since losing his income.

“I have a four-month-old baby and I couldn’t feed my family. Your honour, you can see I only stole food items. I can’t feed my family since I lost my job,” he defended.