Principal to pay Sh1 million bond in assault case

St Stephen’s Girls Secondary School Principal John Musyoki Kyalo in the dock at Machakos law courts on June 4, 2019. The accused was charged with four counts namely, assault causing actual bodily harm, malicious damage to property, arson and incitement to violence at Kyumbi area within Machakos county on June 3, 2019. Before Senior Principal Magistrate Evans Keago, the accused pleaded not guilty and was released on a bond of one million shillings and a surety of similar amount. Mention of the case was set for June 18, 2019. [John Muia, Standard]

The Ministry of Education has temporarily closed St Stephen’s Girls High School in Athi River. This follows the Monday attack on KTN journalists Caroline Bii and Boniface Magana at the school where they had gone to report on a story where a Form Two student went missing

“After discussions and consultations, we have arrived at the conclusion students will take early mid-term break and report back on June 11,” said senior assistant director of quality assurance at the ministry, Alice Gichana.

Meanwhile John Musyoki Kyalo, principal of the school has been ordered to pay Sh1 million bond with a similar surety after he was charged with assault and malicious damage to property.

Mr Kyalo (pictured) yesterday faced four counts before Senior Principal Magistrate.

The first count stated that jointly with others not before court, Kyalo, on June 3,2019 at Kyumbi in Athi River sub-county, hit Boniface Magana on his forehead with a stone thereby causing him actual bodily harm.

The principal faced a second count of malicious damage to property. Kyalo was charged with willfully and unlawfully damaging a camera and tripod stand all valued at Sh2.5 million.

He faced a third count of arson setting ablaze a Sh3.2 million vehicle, Isuzu Double Cab owned by KTN.

Kyalo was also charged with incitement to violence.

He denied the charges. His case will be mentioned on June 18. The court is expected to issue directions on pretrial of June 16.

“This is nothing to me. I will pay that small amount and I will be free again,” Kyalo told journalists as he left the courtroom.