The proprietor of Fancy Buys, Robert Kennedy Mathenge Kariithi, has been charged with assaulting his female employee at a boutique in Kawangware.
Kariithi’s actions were captured on CCTV footage and later went viral on social media, sparking public outrage on Thursday evening.
The incident, which unfolded within the confines of the business premises, displayed a distressing scene where Kariithi could be seen physically attacking the female employee.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) swiftly took action, leading to his arrest on Friday.
He was arraigned before Kibera Law Court, where he denied the charge of assault causing actual bodily harm to Levina Achieng Oginga on Thursday, February 22, 2024.
Appearing before a Kibera magistrate, the businessman pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges levelled against him by the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Kariithi, through his lawyer, sought to be released on reasonable bail terms, stating that he is a family man and the sole breadwinner for his children.
Achieng, the lawyer, opposed the release of his boss on bail, urging that a pre-bail report be tabled before bail is granted.
“The rising cases of gender-based violence and the employer-employee relation between the accused and complainant, which would endanger the life of the complainant, led us to urge the court that the accused not be released on bail without a detailed pre-bail report,” Achieng’s lawyer stated.
On his side, the DPP also supported Achieng’s submission and urged that a pre-bail report be made available before Kariithi was released on bail.
The court, in its finding, made a ruling that the offence was bailable since the investigation officer had not filed an affidavit to warrant the issuance of a pre-bail report.
Kariithi was ordered to deposit a cash bail of Sh20,000 or an alternative bond of Sh50,000 pending the hearing of his case.
