Jail time reduced over age

By Aileen Kwaragu
A JUDGE yesterday sentenced a 52-year-old man to 17 years in prison with hard labour, saying his age saved him from a much harsher sentence.
Peter Kobolo, from Inaujina village in Mekeo, Central, pleaded guilty to the murder of Matthew Ijima Odo on Nov 13, 2018.
Justice Panuel Mogish told Kobolo that such an offence carried life imprisonment but he was entitled to some discount of sentence based on mitigating factors – his age, that he pleaded guilty and expressed remorse.
Justice Mogish said life imprisonment was not appropriate in Kobolo’s case because of the mitigating factors and the presence of de-facto provocations.
Kobolo was sentenced to 17 years.
One year, four months and two weeks were deducted for the time spent in remand.
He will serve 15 years, seven months and two weeks at Bomana.
The court was told that on Nov 13, 2018, Kobolo and his relatives had a fight with Ijima’s family who they accused of damaging the gardens of one Daniel Odo.
Odo, Ijima and his brothers were a distance from Kobolo when he shot an arrow which hit Ijima on the chest.
He managed to pull the arrow out but later died.
The court heard that the fight arose from a land dispute.