Paul Nyathi|A Kenyan driver who was arrested with drunk high school students last week has been sentenced to six years in jail.

Stephen Mwendwa was arrested and his bus impounded after being found hidden in a shopping centre with students from Siakago Boys and Thingingi Girls secondary schools.

The students were found in possession of alcohol and cannabis following a tip-off from members of the public who alerted the police after they saw the bus parked in a back street.

Appearing before Embu senior resident magistrate Jean Ndengeri, the accused father of three faced five counts and pleaded guilty.

Mwendwa was charged that on October 24 at Kiambuthi bypass area along Embu-Kiritiri road, he was found driving the bus without the driver’s PSV uniform.

On the second count, the driver allegedly violated the Road Service License by operating the bus along Embu-Kiritiri road rather than the Nairobi- Allsops – Karibangi – Dandora route as authorized by the NTSA.

Count three stated that Mwendwa drove the bus with seven defective seat belts, missing windows and door locks and without a valid speed governor.

The accused pleaded with the magistrate to spare him, saying the students asked him to stop to allow them to buy snacks in a supermarket. He argued that he did not have control over what they consumed.

Mwendwa will avoid spending six years in prison if he pays a Sh105,000 fine.

Kenyan Times