Kiambu woman charged with assaulting house help

Beatrice Muthoni Nderitu at the Kiambu Law Courts. [Kamau Maichuhie, Standard]

A woman appeared before a Kiambu court and charged with assaulting her house-help.

Beatrice Muthoni Nderitu was charged that on diverse dates between year 2017 and March 24, 2018 in Kasarini area within Kiambu County, she assaulted Mercy Mwake, thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm.

Ms Nderitu who was arraigned before Kiambu Senior Principal Magistrate Stella Atambo denied the charges.

The accused through her lawyer requested the court to have the media barred from covering the court proceedings saying it had already prejudiced the case by highlighting the matter in the press.

Prosecution counsel Christine Mbevi however opposed the application by the accused saying the media should be allowed to continue covering the court proceedings of the case.

The magistrate declined to have the media barred from covering the court proceedings saying the accused had not given any compelling reasons to warrant the court take such an action.

The prosecution applied to have the bail application hearing be deferred to today saying they were intending to prefer more charges against the accused.

“We are waiting for medical examination report and we may be pressing more serious charges against the accused,” said the prosecutor.

The accused lawyer pleaded with the court to allow her continue being out on the police bond of Sh 10,000 which she had been released on at Kiambu Police Station when she was arrested.

“My client is a young mother who has a one-year child who is sick with severe pneumonia. She is therefore pleading with the court could allow her to continue being free on based on the police bond which she had been given at the police station,” the accused lawyer told the court.

However, the prosecution opposed the application by the accused saying since she had already taken plea; the police bond had seized to be meaningful in the case.

The magistrate ordered the accused be remanded in police custody. The case continues tomorrow when the prosecution is expected to prefer more charges against the accused