Naimuggery 2

(All photos, courtesy of Google)

I have been asking myself the question, do muggers and robbers today ever think about their victims before they approach and threaten them?

Jacob was walking, as he usually does, at around 7 pm at night in the cold streets of Nairobi. He had just come from a lecture and on that day he had brought his laptop to do a presentation in class. His mother had already warned him to be wary because unfortunately muggers in Nairobi were targeting university students walking with bags around town. This was because those students more often than not carry laptops in those bags. He heeded his mother's words and became very alert as he crossed the streets and increased his pace whenever he felt he was being followed. The stage was only five minutes away and today he was going to make it

At least that is what he thought.

As he crossed a busy lane with countable number of people, three gentlemen in biker jackets approached him from behind. He did not panic and kept looking at them to give them notice he had seen them. They were spooked and because of the number of people around they decided to walk faster and pass him. As they were doing so, Jacob reached out and pulled one behind.

"Dear Sir, why did you want to steal from me?" The mugger desperately tried to break free, but Jacob had a tight grip. He tried to break free by lashing his elbow against Jacob's arm, but Jacob did not flinch.

The other muggers tried to pull him out, but suddenly a pickup truck pulled up and two men got out and caught them before they could attack. The three of them were forced into the boot with the two men following while Jacob sat in front. The car then sped off to an abandoned house in the outskirts of Nairobi. The passersby could not care less, because you do not meddle in such happenings, otherwise you could also become  a victim.

The muggers were pulled out of the car with slaps and punches. They were stripped to their underwear and their knives were confiscated.  They were led into the house and put in a room which was locked from the outside. It was partially dark as the three men wept moving from side to side trying to find an escape route. They were too scared to talk to each other and they were not yet sure of their fate.

The door opened and one of Jacob's henchmen grabbed one of them and pushed him outside, while his comrade opened and locked the door in the same motion. He was taken to another room with two chairs and a single light aimed at one of the chairs. Jacob was sitting in the other. Mugger #1 was placed in the chair and he tried shielded his eyes from the light using his arm.

" I had asked you why did you want to steal from me?"

"Eh....uhm..."

"I did not stutter when asking you the question, do not stutter when answering it."

"Please sir, please forgive me it will never happen again,... please..."

"I did not ask for your apology. No harm will come to you. Just answer my question. Why did you want to steal from me?"

"Eh...ahhh....it is my mother she is dying with cancer, my father is a drunk, my sister..."

"Please tell me something new because I think your comrades will have the same story."

"No sir...I... I am telling you the truth, my sister..."

" Have you ever asked yourself if mugging and hurting people is fair to your victims?"

"Well... I..., I am sure my victims get help after."

"Do you think that after you mug someone, that person returns to normal?"

"It is their fault for being rich. I am dying of hunger daily while they walk around feeling all high and mighty...sorry, sorry."

"Don't be sorry. At least you are now saying the truth. When you kill someone, do you think of the fact that that person also had his or her problem and was trying to make a living for his or her family?"

"Well it is not my fault that person had to fight me, I just want the money. Also what if that person kills me or calls others to help him. You know in Nairobi, mob justice is there and I am afraid of dying."

"So why steal from people then?"

"I want to live. I want to feed myself and feel the life my victims are living. I am poor. I have been so all my life."

"So is it the victim's fault that you are poor?"

"No it isn't..."

"So why attack people who are not responsible for your woes?"

"They make me feel sick to my stomach bragging how much money they..."

" Is it all of them who brag?"

"No, but..."

"So why don't you go after the ones who bragged that they have money?"

"Because they have protection and it is hard to find them on the streets, so we go for the next best thing.."

"University students?"

"Yes, they have expensive phones, tablets and laptops, plus most of them have good money in their pockets. Moreover they are easy to steal from and never complain because the money is not theirs."

"What about elder men and women?"

"We do with what we get."

"What if the person you mug is your brother, sister, uncle, aunt, father or mother?"

Silence.

"Do you ever stop and think that that person is related to someone who is dependent on him or her? Do take time to think of their families and friends once you take his or her life? What will happen if the person is a single parent and you just stole the money he or she was going to feed the child? What if you make the child an orphan, won't that child curse you for the rest of his or her life? What if one of the family member plans revenge, finds you and kills you? What if you steal from a police officer who has his comrades nearby and they gun you down? What if people recognize you and become tired of you robbing them and they decide to take care of you for 'good'? How do your family members feel about your profession?"

More silence.

"What if one of your family member was mugged? What if they unfortunately died? What then? What if you were to die today, what reason would you tell your God for causing fear in the world and sending your fellow men to their untimely death?"

Silence.