A Kenyan magistrate’s court has set free a man who pleaded guilty to having stolen 108 pieces of spoon from a supermarket.

It is unclear whether the suspect’s mother’s death was occasioned by the news of her son’s arrest and likelihood of being jailed.

Tuko.co.ke reported police documents as having shown that Theophilus Mutunkei Sakaya had walked into the Uchumi supermarket in Mombasa on April 24 2018, posed as a customer, took and hid nine bundles of the spoon from the shelf of the store and tried to exit with them without paying.

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The vigilance of security guards in the supermarket however led to his arrest.

When Theophilus Mutunkei Sakaya appeared before the court, his posturing was somber, and Senior Resident Magistrate, Edgar Kagoni in his ruling said: “I have considered the accused person mitigation and considering that all the spoons have been recovered, I discharge him.”

Though he has been left off the hook, the suspect was sternly warned not to repeat the crime that brought him before the court, or there will be no clemency for him.

Having heaved a sigh of relief after the ruling, Theophilus Mutunkei Sakaya said: “I plead for leniency. While in custody I was told that my mother had passed away. I plead to be released I go bury my mother. I will not repeat the offense.”