Nine charged with destroying woman’s house

In Summary

• They nine beat Dennis Koome after a row and when Mary Mwiti warned them, they raided her home on April 25.
• The youth are said to have accused Ms Mwiti of going against the Meru culture and claimed that a woman is not supposed to verbally attack newly circumcised men.

Nine youth were yesterday charged with demolishing a woman’s house and slashing her crops after she reprimanded them for beating her son in Mwereru village, Meru.

They nine beat Dennis Koome after a row and when Mary Mwiti warned them, they raided her home on April 25.

The youth are said to have accused Ms Mwiti of going against the Meru culture and claimed that a woman is not supposed to verbally attack newly circumcised men.

They denied maliciously damaging the house and slashing bananas, spinach and potatoes valued at Sh18,700 and stealing Sh8,000 before Senior Principal Magistrate Evelyn Ndegwa and were released on Sh200,000 bond each.

State Counsel Wambui Mugo also told the court that the men took Sh8,000 from Ms Mwiti which they demanded while threatening to demolish another house.

The woman is said to have pleaded with the youngsters to spare her house because her husband is ailing and is bedridden.

The case against Lewis Muriuki, Phineas Gikunda, Ian Muchui, Kenneth Kimathi, Samuel Kirimi, Humphrey Kathurima, Erick Mwenda, Amos Mwongera and Wilfred Kathurima will be mentioned on July 2.

Gikunda and Kirimi faced a separate charge of assaulting and causing actual bodily to Mr Mwiti, which is said to have triggered the series of events.

The magistrate ordered the prosecution to provide the suspects with copies of witness statements and any material to be tabled in court during the hearing.