Michael Ekai in the dock at the Eldoret Chief Magistrate's Court where he pleaded guilty to charges of stealing a mattress worth Sh 4,000 from a neighbour. [Kevin Tunoi, Standard]

An Eldoret Court has sentenced a man to three years in jail for stealing his neighbour’s mattress valued at Sh4,000.

Michael Ekai was charged with stealing the blue mattress from Isaac Kibet on March 22 at Kambi Chura estate in Cheptiret shopping centre.

Appearing before Deputy Registrar of the High Court Ms Mildred Munyekenye at the Chief Magistrate’s Court, Ekai pleaded guilty to the offense.

The details of the charges indicated that Ekai who used to live in the same rented block with Kibet broke into the  latter's house at night when the owner had left for work and made away with the mattress.

“The complainant who had left his house at about 7:00PM for a nightshift engagement returned home the following morning only to find his door broken and his mattress missing,” read the prosecutor.

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The 21-year-old faced a second count of possession of stolen property which he also pleaded guilty to.

The prosecutor stated that the accused person was found with the mattress suspected to have been stolen on March 23 and  taken to Cheptiret Police Post by the public.

“I pray that the court forgives me for taking my neighbour’s property without consent, I will never repeat the mistake and pledge to be a good citizen. It is my first time to commit such a crime and I regret it,” pleaded Ekai in his mitigation.

Ms Munyekenye after considering the accused person’s mitigation said she was not convinced the act of theft could have been done in good faith.

“The intention in this scenario is in all ways not morally acceptable. A neighbour is someone that is close to you and you may need their help anytime just like they can need your help. Breaking into a neighbour’s house and stealing when they are not around cannot go unpunished,” she said.

Ms Munyekenye sentenced Ekai to three years in prison, stating that the sentence was meted out because the accused harboured a bad intention in stealing from a neighbour.

She further ordered that the mattress be returned to Kibet unconditionally.