A rare moment was witnessed at the Milimani Law Courts when a magistrate asked university students arraigned for a miscellaneous application to tell the court the benefits of alcohol.
The seven from different universities were in court over the death of 23-year-old fourth-year Daystar University student.
The court heard that the deceased was in the company of the seven who arrived in Ngara from a party while drunk.
The investigative officer told the court of the happenings leading to the arrest of the seven and requested to detain the seven for 10 days to complete his investigations.
Milimani Chief Magistrate Dolphina Alego then asked each student to tell the court the benefits of the alcohol to them.
“This is off record; as a mother, I want all of you to tell us the benefits of alcohol,” Magistrate Alego told them.
In response, some of them said that alcohol has no benefit, while others used the opportunity to tell the court that they do not take alcohol, and on the material day, they were not drunk.
The magistrate later asked the parents of the students to rise and talk to their children.
One of the parents told the court that he was shocked when he was called and informed of the incident.
He expressed his shock and disappointment at his son, whom he said had on several occasions talked about his drinking habit.
He further told the court that he knew his son had stopped taking alcohol after he went home and confessed to him that he had stopped.
He also told the court that after the confession, they attended church together, after which he affirmed to him that he had stopped drinking alcohol.
“I do remember even one time he confessed to me; actually, he has stopped this habit of drinking. We even went to the church together, and he told me, ‘Dad, hii mambo ya pombe nimeacha,’ so I was actually shocked about it,” the parent told the court.
Another parent who came for his son and his nephew apologised and sympathised for the death of the Daystar University student and urged the students to take time to think about their lives and what brought them to Nairobi.
One of the parents was emotionally broken by the incident and could not hold back her tears for her son, telling the court that the incident has left her broken and sick.
Magistrate Alego advised the students to apologise to their parents and also noted that she will have a session off court with them once they come back to court next week.
