October 3, 1977: Nairobi lawyer Achhroo Ram Kapila jailed two and a half months ago for exchange control offences is freed by the High Court. His appeal against an 18-month jail sentence was allowed on health grounds by the Chief Justice Sir James Wicks and Justice S. K.Sachdeva. But they substituted a fine of Ksh350,000/= and jail sentence of two months and 13 days as Kapila had already served that time, he was immediately set free after he paid the fine.The judges said that in appropriate cases an appellate court my reduce a sentence not because it was illegal or manifestly excessive but as an act of mercy.

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