A government official has decided to make headlines by assaulting one Mr Nicholas Kipsang who got in trouble with the law to the extent of bailing himself out.Even so all was not well completely as after securing his release, Mr Yegon was mobbed by his supporters outside the courtroom before being driven off.
The MP had been directed to appear in court on Friday morning following an application by Mr Felix Mutua, the Konoin sub-county criminal investigations officer, who claimed he had defied summons to record a statement.
Principal Magistrate Benard Omwansa said the law cannot be applied selectively as each citizen is equal. “I have considered the application by the prosecution and the affidavit sworn by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation, and the allegation leveled against the accused person. It must be noted that all citizens are equal before the law,” he said.
The MP, however, recorded the statement on October 20 at Konoin police station.
Mr Robert Asembo, the MP’s lawyer, informed the court that reconciliation efforts between the accused and the victim had been initiated and were in advanced stages.
Mr Ngetich, who was present in court, sustained actual bodily harm following the alleged attack by the legislator.The MP is accused of assaulting Mr Nicholas Kipsang Ngetich on October 14 in Kapset, Kimulot location, Konoin.
A police officer escorted the MP to the prisoners’ holding area after the ruling was made, where he was held for 30 minutes as his lawyer paid the cash bail and processed the release documents.The magistrate ordered the MP to be released on Sh 30,000 bond or a Sh 15,000 cash bail.
The hearing was set for February 4, next year while the mention will be on November 13.
Assault law deals with the consequences of the wrongful act of causing fear of physical contact to another person. It is treated as a crime and a tort, meaning offenders can be prosecuted by the government, or sued for civil damages by the victim, or both.
The purpose of assault law is to deter people from exhibiting aggressive, threatening behavior toward others, even if physical contact does not actually occur. If contact does occur, the act is usually treated as the separate offense of battery.
Most state criminal codes make assault a misdemeanor punishable by fines and up to one year in the county jail.
Do think the MP is conducting himself in an appropriate manner based on his position and role to the mwananchi of Kenya?