A Kenyan woman, Neema Lasalo, has been arraigned for allegedly fracturing her neighbour’s fingers and causing him grievous harm during a fight.
Ms. Lasalo however, denied the charges, claiming the complainant has been relentlessly stalking her and making unwelcome sexual advances at her despite knowing she is married.
Lasalo was charged alongside her husband Benedict Likoli with jointly causing serious injuries to John Kibunja contrary to section 234 of the Penal Code after they allegedly beat him up for reportedly stalking her.
She told the court that her husband works as a bodaboda rider at night and Mr Kibunja who is their neighbour has been taking advantage of her husband’s absence to seek sexual favours from her even after she warned him.
Ms Lasalo added that she had already informed her husband that Mr Kibunja had been stalking her before she reported the complainant at the Kayole police station but no action was taken.
The woman told the court she had an Occurrence Book (OB) entry slip showing she had filed a complaint against Mr Kibunja at the station.
The couple is accused of twisting Mr. Kibunja’s fingers while assaulting him at a flat where they live in Kayole, Nairobi, on September 4.
Mr Kibunja was walking on stairs on the way to his house after ending his day’s work when he met the couple who allegedly started hurling insults at him before they attacked him, raining blows and kicks on him.
They allegedly wrestled him to the ground as he made distress calls and twisted his two fingers, fracturing them before members of the public intervened and rescued him.
The complainant proceeded to his house before he was taken to hospital. He later reported the matter at the Kayole police station, and the two suspects were arrested.
The two denied the charges before Senior Principal Magistrate Hellen Okwany of the Makadara Law Courts.
Ms Lasalo amused the court after pleading with the magistrate to remand her husband in exchange for her freedom so that she could take care of their child.
Ms Okwany remanded the couple in custody until November 8, when she will rule on their bond and bail application after receiving their probation officer’s report.
The hearing of the case starts on March 21 next year.
