Bid to drop case against stripping suspects fails

What you need to know:

  • The court told the women that robbery with violence was a serious offence and that the case had drawn much public interest.

An attempt by two complainants to withdraw a case on the stripping of a woman hit a snag Wednesday, after a court said the prosecution had no powers to do so.

A Makadara court told Ms Regina Nyambura and Ms Martha Wambui that they can’t withdraw the case in which six men have been charged with robbery with violence and stripping in public one of the women.

The court told the women that robbery with violence was a serious offence and that the case had drawn much public interest.

The women wanted to withdraw the case against Michael Kamau, Zachary Gitonga, Kelvin Njuguna, David Kinuthia, Lawrence Kuria and Hosea Kassim.

The men’s lawyer, Mr Samwel Ayora, accused the prosecution of deliberately delaying the case.

“Last time I indicated that the prosecution had the time to call the investigation officers said to be on leave,” he said.

The six were charged in November last year with robbing Ms Nyambura of a phone, 61 eggs and Sh950 in Kayole, Nairobi. They also stripped her and indecently touched her sister, the court heard.

The hearing is on March 11.