St Steven's principal charged with attack on KTN journalists, released on Sh1 million bond

St. Steven’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 Chumvi area within Machakos County on June 3, 2019. Mention of the case was set for June 18, 2019. [John Muia/Standard]

A Machakos court has ordered the principal of St Steven’s Girls High School in Athi River Sub County to pay Sh1 million bond and a surety of the same amount in a case in which the headteacher has been charged with assault and malicious damage on property.

Senior Principal Magistrate, Evans Keago also directed that the principal, John Musyoki Kyalo be remanded in police custody until June 18, when the case against him will be mentioned.

Kyalo appeared in court today charged with four counts.

The first count stated that on June 3, 2019 at Chumvi area, Athi River Sub County in Machakos County, jointly with others not before court assaulted Boniface Magana on the forehead by throwing a stone at him thereby occasioning him actual bodily harm.

The principal also faced a second count of malicious damage to property contrary to Section 339 (1) of the penal code. He was charged with willfully and unlawfully damaging a camera make PM W400Sonny and tripod stand valued at Sh2.5 million, the property of Boniface Magana.

Kyalo faced a third count of arson contrary to Section 332 (b) of the penal code. The charge stated on the same date and place, jointly with others not before the court, he willfully and unlawfully set fire motor vehicle registration KCJ 706X Isuzu double cab property of Standard Group valued at Sh3.2 million.

The fourth count was that of incitement to violence contrary to Section 96 of the penal code.

However, Kyalo who kept smiling throughout the court proceedings pleaded not guilty to each of the four counts. He was granted a Sh1 million bond and surety of a similar amount.

He will appear again in court for pre-trial directions on June 16th.

On his way outside the courtroom under tight police escort, Kyalo hurled unprintable insults to a battery of journalists who had turned up to cover the case boasting that he will soon be free.

“This is nothing to me. Watch this space, I will pay that small amount of money and will be free like before,” he gloated.

 

On Monday, two KTN journalists, Caroline Bii and Boniface Magana were attacked and injured by the principal and students as they covered a story about a missing form two student at St Steve’s Girls High School.

Magana’s camera and tripod were extensively destroyed and a KTN Isuzu double cabin pick-up set ablaze in the ugly incident.

The Media Council of Kenya has condemned the attack and called for swift action against the culprits.