Kettle Club bouncers charged with assaulting journalists, police during shisha raid
Eight bouncers at Kettle House Bar and Grill charged with assaulting three journalists and three police officers during an operation by Nacada officials on January 5 2024.
What you need to know:
- The eight were charged before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi
- Police ordered to arrest three other bouncers who skipped prosecution although they had been summoned to attend court.
Eight bouncers have been charged with assaulting journalists and police officers who had accompanied National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) officers during a swoop on drugs and seizure of shisha bongs at a city club.
The eight were charged before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi who ordered police to arrest three other bouncers who skipped prosecution although they had been summoned to attend court.
Mr Ochoi ordered that Evans Owane, Lazarus Muthini, and Davis Omondi be arrested to face justice.
The orders were given when bouncers Faith Margaret Wambui, Sammy Ndirangu Kimani, Geoffrey Mwangi Kimani, Benjamin Kariuki Kimani, Caeser Kimongo Muigai, Richard Odero Nyakoyo, Richard Ouma Amollo, and Joyce Mwende were charged with assaulting Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) journalist Jane Mogoiri Kibora and photojournalists Boniface Okendo Orioleno of Standard Group, and Bonface Bogita of Nation Media Group (NMG).
The eight who are employed as security guards at Kettle House Bar and Grill denied the offences presented against them by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
They allegedly committed the offences on January 5, 2024, during a sting operation by Nacada enforcement officers at the aforementioned club.
They denied accosting and assaulting police officers Joel Kirimi Nyaga, Mutisya Boniface, and Joseph Ruto who accompanied enforcement officers during that particular operation.
They are also accused of selling shisha at the club.
The state prosecutor James Gachoka told the court the case against 11 bouncers will be consolidated with another coming for mention on March 11, 2024.
Mr Gachoka said he was not opposing their release on bond.
Mr Ochoi freed them on a cash bail of Sh30,000 each.
The matter will be mentioned on March 11, 2024.
