Jacob Mutungi Matolo has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for vandalising telecommunications equipment worth Ksh5.1 million in Taita Taveta County.
Senior Principal Magistrate Cecilia Kithinji convicted Matolo after finding that the prosecution had proved its case against him beyond reasonable doubt.
The case involved equipment installed at the Kidongu Communication Tower in Taita Taveta Sub-County and owned by American Tower Corporation. The court heard that Matolo, together with other individuals, unlawfully accessed the facility between April and July 2025.
During the incident, telecommunications equipment valued at Ksh5,118,546 was damaged and cut off. The prosecution told the court that the equipment had been tampered with and vandalised with the intention of stealing it.
The vandalised equipment was later recovered from Matolo and identified by officers from American Tower Corporation.
Matolo faced charges of tampering with a telecommunications plant under Section 32(c) of the Kenya Information and Communications Act, Cap. 411A, and stealing under Section 268, read together with Section 275 of the Penal Code. He also faced an alternative charge of handling stolen property under Section 322(1) and (2) of the Penal Code.
Principal Prosecution Counsel Charles Mogaka led the prosecution team. Four witnesses testified, while the prosecution presented documentary and physical evidence to support its case.
After reviewing the evidence, Magistrate Kithinji found that the prosecution had sufficiently established Matolo’s involvement in the offences and convicted him.
Matolo was sentenced to 10 years in prison and granted 14 days within which to appeal the conviction and sentence.
