A 70 year old man accused of stealing two Nivea Nourish lotions in a Naivas supermarket has blamed witchcraft for the offence.

Edward Macharia,  appeared before a Makadara court and admitted to stealing the lotions of 400ml valued at Sh1,720.

He committed the offence on September 20 at Naivas supermarket along Jogoo Road.

Edward Macharia, who is serving a three-year probation sentence, told the court that someone from his village bewitched him.

He was sentenced in August for the theft of lotion from the same supermarket. He pleaded guilty.

“I am very sorry for the offence and I cannot tell why I keep stealing the same kind of lotion from the same supermarket,” Macharia said.

Magistrate Merisia Opondo was visibly shocked, being the one who sentenced Macharia in August. She asked why he could not go back to the village since he was old.

“At your age, it is shameful to be committing such offences,” she said.

Macharia promised to go back to his village if the court forgives him.

The magistrate, however, declined to sentence him and forwarded the file to another magistrate.

The prosecution report says the supermarket manager and the CCTV operator were on duty when they saw Macharia enter the supermarket like any other customer.

He then allegedly picked up a shopping basket and headed straight to the aisle containing the lotions. He took two Nivea For Men.

He hid them in his heavy jacket and proceeded to pick Sh10 Kensalt, the report reads.

The court heard that he then headed to the exit door.

Police said as he was about to leave, the CCTV operator raised the alarm and the manager rushed to the door and block him from leaving.

He was arrested and escorted to Jogoo police station by the manager.