NAIROBI (AFP) - A Kenyan court has jailed a man who stole 55 shillings (0.80 dollars, 0.55 euros) from a church collection plate, the second time he was convicted of the offence, a newspaper reported Friday. Nairobi chief magistrate's court on Thursday sent Mark Okoth to prison for a year for the October 28 theft. He was jailed for two years for a similar offence in 2002, Daily Nation reported. Theft of church property is common in the pre-dominantly Christian east African nation. Six months ago, two thieves broke into the Kenyan Anglican church's offices and stole literature and drank altar wine worth nearly 480,000 shillings. http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/071116/oddities/kenya_religion_crime_trial_offbeat
I read that he did it a few times. At some point you have to draw the line. Plus it's vey offensive to steal donations to charity.
Yeah, but 80 cents in Kenya can buy quite a bit, food for the day at least. I've been there, it's a great country apart from all the violence and poverty.
I feel bad for him. He is probably just trying to eat. I was at the grocery store a few days ago. The police were there taking away a guy in handcuffs. I asked what happened and they said he was trying to steal some food. I actually complained about it, because I felt so bad. What he did was wrong, but he was hungry. The same grocery store makes a big deal about how great they are to the poor. They have a big box there collecting food and they want you to donate money. I honestly don't think the people that actually need food are getting it. I don't condone it. But instead of the church pressing charges, maybe they could forgive him and help him. Sad.
I totally agree... Firstly stealing from a church is really bad so he must have been in need, but i have empathy for him. The fact he has done it a few times should show that he is desperate and 80 cents is not a lot. Maybe the church should have given him a community service and in turn offered him a place at a organization that runs coincides with the church .
Well, you can draw lines all up and down other people... I'm going to take a closer look. The church in this world has killed, raped, stolen, and manipulated everyone. They deserve allot more stolen from them then 80 cents... Donations to charity HAHAHAHA you mean donations to the 'build a new church to rob the poor' charity. F THAT. They're gonna get it, no matter how many stupid chorus's they sing and how much of jesus they pretend to eat... karma is a b....
The church is good actors... Someday I plan to remind them and all of you of the murderous beasts they truly are. They should have given him the 80 cents if they were really followers of christ. But they're not.
I wonder how those "forgiving" people would feel if they had someone steal from them everynow and then. I get really frustrated when the vending machine does not give all the change or when the coin in the phone box gets stuck and not returned because of non connection. Hmmm...let the thieves steal and get away with it. Great policy
Yea like the church stole the lives of millions of women because they were 'witches'... or how about the native cultures they STOLE.... what about those thieves?
My response is not in regard to religious reason or practice. My point is exactly that of yours - compassion should have followed instead retaliation and negative protocol.