Oscar Sudi Offers Hope For 17-Yr-Old Arrested For Crashing Tycoon's Plane
Sudi asked the authorities to pardon him, noting that he would supervise the payment of fees for him in an aviation school.
Marvin Chege 
Kapasaret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi, on Friday, March 24 offered to sponsor a 17-year-old who was arrested after he daringly attempted to commandeer a light aircraft he stole from a ranch, only to crash it before it could take off.
In a statement, Sudi asked the authorities to pardon him, noting that he would supervise the payment of fees for him in an aviation school.
“I kindly beseech the authorities to pardon this young man from Gilgil. Please hand him over to me, I will take him to an aviation school," Sudi stated.
An aircraft damaged after a teenager's failed takeoff from a ranch in Gilgil, Nakuru County. /TWITTER
In Kenya, attaining a pilot licence requires the interested person to attend special schools where they are taught the craft of flying. According to data from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), there are only 24 institutions in the country that are authorised to offer aviation courses.
Some of the schools offer their courses for a period of four to six months with the fee ranging from Ksh630,000 to Ksh2.8 million. The prices mainly cover flying hours, course work and pilot kits which include the uniform.
The MP, an ally of President William Ruto was among Kenyans who pleaded for the release of the boy, David Chege, in defence of him after reports of his arrest broke on Friday evening.
"A young man has this afternoon broke into a Mzungu homestead in Gilgil and attempted to fly a crop duster. Kenya Airways, Airforce and Police Air wing should recruit this boy and train him as a pilot," Madoka Kibet wrote.
Others called upon stakeholders in the aviation sector to consider the plight of the boy since he was passionate about flying.
Chege, had gained access to a tycoon's ranch in Gilgil, Nakuru County and eventually to the plane's cockpit despite having zero flying skills. According to a situational report by the investigators, at around 11:40 am, he walked into an expansive farm, got into the spray aircraft and ignited the engine.
It was however not established how the youngster managed to sneak into the ranch and towards the hangar undetected.
"It was reported by the owner of a spray aircraft registration number 5Y-AZA make PA25, and a resident of Balolow area within Ndume area of Gilgil around 9:30 am, a stranger walked into the ranch and boarded the cabin of the plane parked at the yard (sic)," the police report indicated in part.
Chege had turned on the engine and taxied off the bay, but his attempts at completing a successful takeoff stumbled as he rammed into an electric fence, with the engine blown off on impact and the wheels damaged.
"The propeller and front curling were damaged, with the suspect escaping unhurt," the report added.
Gilgil sub-county police commander Francis Tumbo confirmed the incident saying the dazed teenager was later arrested by the police and was assisting them with investigations.
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