The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has dropped the charges against the 87 year old granny from Migori County, who had been remanded over the alleged theft of two plastic chairs after Kenyans took to social media in criticism of the country’s judicial system for the matter.

Risper Ongwena is reported to have spent the entire month of December behind bars after being allegedly found in possession of two stolen plastic chairs in her home.

According to Margaret Onyango, Risper’s daughter, the chairs were stolen by the granny’s grandson, who went into hiding and left them behind his grandmother’s house.

The granny was taken into remand after the family failed to raise money to bail her out.

The case had been scheduled for hearing on February 24, 2016.

KENYANS CONDEMN GRANNY’S ARREST ON SOCIAL MEDIA

George Kimando: So a court has remanded an 87 year old granny for allegedly handling stolen property in the name of two plastic chairs, allegedly stolen by her grand child who has gone under? Where did common sense in the judiciary and the police disappear to? I understand there is something called free bond…what is the worst can an 87 year old do if she is granted this? Take a flight to Timbuktu? And where is the DPP or officers at the public law office? Shame on you all!

Hussein Moulid: 87 Yr old granny in cell over 2 chairs theft yet eurobond thieves, private developers are roaming free. Kenya ina wenyewe.

Maina Thuita: Four Things- 1. It’s good that Tobiko has ordered her release.
2. Her incarceration shows clearly that there is a breakdown of the social and moral fabric that once (and should) hold the society together. Were this to happen in my home area (Nakuru) Wazee will be called to solve such a small issue.
3. The poverty levels and corruption in Kenya are too high and wanting. Time to refocus more on development and less on empty politics of victimization and poverty. Otherwise, how would someone (complaint, police, prosecutor , magistrate) want such a woman to suffer?‪#‎KituKidogo
4. Our judicial system is wanting – or was the Magistrate high on something? Why let such an old granny suffer for things that she actually didn’t understand. ‪#‎ShameOnHimHer!

The arrest of the 87 year old granny is not an isolated case, in march last year, an 100 year old granny from Embu County had been sentenced to a three month jail for contempt of Courtfollowing a land dispute case and had served a week in prison before The Sonko rescue team bailed her out .