Runda woman who locked househelp for 4 years charged with assault

A woman who was arrested for allegedly detaining and torturing her house help for four years was on Wednesday arraigned in a Kiambu court and charged with assault.

Beatrice Muthoni Nderitu appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Stella Atambo to answer to charges of assaulting her domestic help, Mercy Mwake, 25, at her home in Runda estate, Nairobi.

Muthoni, who pleaded not guilty was however detained at Kiambu Police Station after the prosecution requested for an extra day to prepare more charges.

Mwake, who escaped from the home on Friday, March 23, alleges that since she was employed in 2014, she had never seen or spoken to her family members.

She further alleges that for the period she was employed, she had never been out of the home claiming that after two years, the employer stopped paying her and also started assaulting her.

Muthoni’s lawyer had requested the court to stop the media from covering the proceedings saying it will put the client at risk but Magistrate Attambo dismissed the application saying the case will be heard in open court.