A courtroom at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi was filled with laughter on Thursday after an American man facing immigration charges made an unexpected request about the food being served to him in custody.
What began as a routine court session quickly took a lighter turn when the accused openly complained about the meals he had been receiving while being held by authorities.
The man, identified as Hodgkinson Enock Jedidah, had been presented before Senior Principal Magistrate Mutai over allegations of staying in Kenya illegally.
During the proceedings, he denied the charges and attempted to explain his side of the story. However, it was his comments about prison food that caught the attention of everyone inside the courtroom.
Jedidah told the magistrate that he was unhappy with being served ugali and cabbage while in remand custody.
Speaking directly to the court, he questioned why he should continue eating the same meals, saying he did not enjoy the food and wanted something better. His remarks caused smiles and laughter among people who were following the proceedings.
He further pleaded with the court to direct prison authorities to provide him with what he described as “good food” and also asked for larger portions.
According to him, the meals being offered were not suitable for him. Despite the unusual request, the magistrate remained calm and declined to issue any special orders regarding the meals. Instead, the court advised him to accept the food available while in custody like other remandees.
The case itself revolves around allegations that the American national had remained in Kenya without valid legal documents. Prosecutors argued that he had overstayed his permitted period in the country and continued staying unlawfully for a long time.
In response, Jedidah claimed that immigration officers had taken away his travel documents, making it difficult for him to process or renew the papers needed for him to remain in the country legally.
He maintained that the situation was beyond his control and insisted that the confiscation of his documents affected his ability to regularize his stay.
The prosecution, however, rejected his explanation and insisted that the accused had failed to comply with immigration laws. State lawyers maintained that he had no legal permission to remain in the country at the time of his arrest.
After listening to both sides, the court ordered that Jedidah be remanded at Industrial Area Prison as the case continues. Further proceedings are expected in the coming days as the court determines whether the charges against him can be proven.
Even though the matter before the court was serious, the unexpected discussion about ugali and cabbage briefly changed the mood inside the courtroom and became the moment many people remembered after the session ended.
