Busaa is Not Illicit Liquor, Nairobi Court Rules
A Nairobi court has ruled that Busaa is not an illicit liquor, but a traditional brew.
The ruling was made on Thursday by Kibera Senior Principal Magistrate, Esther Bhoke in a case in which a woman was charged with selling and being in possession of five liters of Busaa.
Ann Kayila, a mother of three, was accused of failing to comply with the standards outlined in the Alcoholic Drinks Act of 2010.
But magistrate Bhoke noted that Busaa is a traditional drink esteemed in Western Kenya, adding that the accused person’s only crime was selling the brew without a license.
“Busaa is a traditional brew that is highly valued by communities from Western Kenya, and, therefore, it is not an illicit brew. However, the accused operated the business without a proper license,” Bhoke stated.
Ms. Kayila pleaded guilty to the charges and sought leniency from the court, saying she resorted to selling Busaa to fend for her three children.
The magistrate ordered her to pay a fine of Sh10,000 for the offense, failure to which she will spend three months in jail.
Comments (5)
She just told you she is selling it to fend for her kids, then you fine her Sh 10,000. Where will she get the money from?
Wacha Kelele nyingi.Do you have her MPesa number?
Busaa ni Uji.
Buzaa is food but can't sell without a license. Now why is magi changing charge sheet? That's a miscarriage of justice. Should have thrown case out
I dont see any surprise,or news in announcing that busaa is not an illicit brew.Clearly the charges confirm this.The woman was selling alcohol without a permit. They leniency she is pleading for not having a license to sell the busaa.
Anyway,Iam sure by now agood number of bussa drinkers know that they have not been imbibing an illicit drink.Therefore I highly doubt if this knowledge will spike in consumption,which some people might fear.
I will drink to this.Have one on me Judge.