Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i Thursday ordered the deportation of four Chinese nationals who were arrested after one of them was filmed caning a Kenyan employee at Chez Wou Restaurant in Kileleshwa, Nairobi.
The deportation order was signed just hours after a Nairobi court allowed police to detain the four for 15 days pending conclusion of investigations into the incident.
The four include Deng Hailan, who was captured assaulting the employee, Chang Yueping and Ou Qiang, who were arrested for reportedly holding expired Visas.
A fourth suspect, Yu Ling, a cashier, was arrested for holding a visitor’s Visa but without a work permit.
The case was set to be mentioned on March 4.
The magistrate directed the prosecution to produce a holding charge to enable the four Chinese apply for bail.
This follows a video that made rounds on the web showing the chef cane his fellow staff who is a waiter at the Chez Wou Restaurant in Kileleshwa, Nairobi.
The video angered many who called for action on the man behind the incident. It is reported that the whipping happened because the victim was late to work.
Parts of the video display the official questioning the waiter and inquiring from him the part of his body he prefers being whipped.
Chinese Embassy in Nairobi asked police to investigate the incident and take action accordingly.
“The embassy noticed a video clip about a Chinese chef and Kenyan colleague issued by K24 TV today (Saturday). We support the Kenyan police to investigate the whole issue thoroughly according to Kenyan laws. Whoever is found violating the law will face legal consequences,” the embassy said in a tweet.
On Sunday, police raided the hotel and picked up eight Kenyan staff and the four Chinese for grilling. The man accused of the incident was earlier on asked to present himself before immigration offices for further action.
When he failed to do so, police went to the restaurant and picked him up alongside three others. But there was pressure from several quarters to deport him without being charged. A ticket for his deportation was made ready.
It is not the first time incidents involving Chinese nationals have been reported.
Similar drama has been reported on Standard Gauge Railways, a factory in Ruiru and a city restaurant. The foreigners involved were later arrested and deported. This followed an outcry from Kenyans who deemed their actions demeaning and abusive.
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