'Racist' Chinese restaurant manager Zhao Yang charged, detained for two days
The manager of a Chinese restaurant at the centre of a racism row Ms Esther Zao Yang before a Nairobi court on March 26, 2015 where she was charged with operating a restaurant without a licence and work permit. PHOTO | PAUL WAWERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Ms Zhao has also been charged with being engaged in employment without a work permit.
- The magistrate ruled that there were compelling reasons to deny Ms Yang bail and directed that she be held at the Lang'ata women’s prison till Monday.
A Chinese businesswoman running an eatery at the centre of a racism row has been charged before a Nairobi court with operating a restaurant illegally.
The court on Thursday ordered Ms Zhao Yang detained for two days after the prosecution objected to her release on bail on the grounds that she is a foreigner and has refused to surrender and disclose details of her immigration status.
She denied that on March 23 at around 11am, along Galana Road in Kilimani, Nairobi, being the manager of the Chinese Restaurant jointly with others not before the court, they were found operating the restaurant in contravention of a section of the law prohibiting the operation of a Class B restaurant without a tourism licence.
Ms Yang has also been charged with being engaged in employment without a work permit.
An affidavit in objection to her release, sworn by investigating officer Charles Wandera, said that while on inspection duties in Kilimani, it was established that the restaurant was being run by the suspect.
IMMIGRATION STATUS
“The accused is a foreign national, a Chinese, and during interrogation she declined to disclose her place of residence and her immigration status. We asked her to produce her work permit and she did not have one.”
The affidavit was presented before resident magistrate Miriam Mugure.
The magistrate ruled that there were compelling reasons to deny Ms Yang bail and directed that she be held at the Lang'ata women’s prison till Monday, when the case will be mentioned.
