Court orders private hearings in CS aide defilement case

The media will no longer cover the defilement case against an aide to a Cabinet secretary.

Nakuru Resident Magistrate Eunice Kelly ruled on Monday that the hearings take place in camera.

TRAUMA

The ruling followed an application by the State on behalf of the family, and the prosecution's argument that the family had been traumatised and their reputations ruined.

The State, in the application filed on January 3, sought orders prohibiting both the mainstream and social media from covering the case.

In support of the State's prayer, the prosecution noted the negative effects the family had suffered as a result of media coverage of the case.

The family also wanted the suspect restrained from contacting the minor and the family - the court heard that he had tried to reach the girl who was defiled.

The prosecution had also wanted the matter transferred to a children's court in Nairobi.

“It is hereby ordered that all the proceedings of this case be conducted in camera,” the magistrate said.

PROCEEDINGS

The aide is accused of committing the crime at a Nakuru hotel on December 23, 2018.

Officers from Bondeni Police Station arrested him that day in Mogotio and took him to court two days later.

Before Resident magistrate Yvonne Khatambi, the aide denied two counts of defiling a minor and committing an indecent act with a child and was released on a bond of Sh300,00 with a surety of the same amount.

There was drama during the man's arraignment as a group of his supporters and relatives stormed the court premises and assaulted journalists while trying to shield him from the cameras.

The case will be mentioned on January 18.