Mombasa man in court for touching woman’s butt

• Mbondo told the stunned court her beauty led him into committing the act
• Before the court, he declared his undying love for the mother of two

A Mombasa man who had has been accused of touching a woman’s buttocks and breasts against her will in public has told the court that he loves the woman.

The suspect identified as Alexander Mbondo stunned the court when he said the woman’s stunning beauty pushed him into committing the act.

Mbondo went on to tell the court that he was willing to marry her instantly if she agreed to his proposal.

The complainant is married and mother of two. Police said Mbondo touched the woman twice at a bus stage and inside a shop. He was arrested after the woman raised an alarm.

Mbondo told Senior Resident Magistrate Henry Nyakweba that the woman had rejected his advances for friendship or marriage.

“I have undying love for her, and can’t stop myself because of the beauty. I am ready to marry her anytime she accepts my proposal,” he told the magistrate who appeared stunned by the suspect’s audacity.

The complainant testified against Mbondo detailing the torment and frustration she had endured from him.

Mbondo who has not had a lawyer, has been in custody due to his inability to raise Sh20,000 bond.

In court, Mbondo asked the complainant during cross-examination thus:

“Will I be lying to the court if I tell the court that I am in love with you, and if I propose you will say yes?” To which the complainant replied thus: “I have no time and feelings for you.”

Mbondo is accused that on diverse dates between April and September 2016 at Coat Drapers of Fontanella Building in Mombasa, he intentionally touched the woman’s buttocks and breasts with his hands against her will.

He had denied the charges and was released on a bail of Sh20,000 but he has remained in custody since 2016 after he failed to raise the bond given his alleged poor background.

Yesterday while testifying, the complainant who lives in the rich side of Kizingo told the court that she had no feelings for Mbondo who she accused of frustrating and stalking her.

She said that she was happily married with two children and wanted nothing to do with Mbondo.

The woman said she first met Mbondo when he came to her stall to buy a shirt.

“I thought he was just a customer looking to buy a shirt. But after that he started coming frequently and asking me to marry him, always touching me inappropriately,” she said.

The complainant’s employer Peter Gatamo Gichime told the court that he had witnessed on several occasions Mbondo frustrating the complainant at her working place.

Gichime said he had warned Mbondo to keep off the premises and pursue her somewhere off the work place.

He said that Mbondo had been arrested four times by police for stalking the complainant. Gichime said that he (or his son) was forced to escort her to the stage because Mbondo was always outside waiting for her.

“She is someone’s wife and he was disturbing her. I knew his husband because he always came to pick him up,” said Gichime.

“I had seen the accused on several occasions touching her thighs and ass. She was worried because it was in front of the people.  So I warned and banned him from coming to the premises, but he insisted and continued stalking her until he was arrested when he groped her at the stage ya Kanisani,” he said.

In his defence, Mbondo said that Gichime was jealous because he was making strides in seducing her. He accused Gichime of touching all the women working for him. The suspect asked the court to expedite the case as he had stayed in custody for long.

The case will proceed from October 12, 2017.