66-year old woman fined Sh50,000 for assaulting sister-in-law

A court in Embu has fined a woman Sh50,000 or serve a one-year jail term for assaulting her sister-in-law.

Virginia Waveti, 66, had denied assaulting her sister-in-law, Jane Wanjiru Njiru on July 22, 2021, at Kavutiri village in Embu County.

According to a charge sheet, Waveti assaulted Wanjiru occasioning her actual bodily harm.

Wanjiru, a casual labourer told the court that her sister-in-law hit her with a metal bar on her head when she sought someone to open the gate.

"We live on government land issued to the squatters and I found the access gate closed. When I asked who had closed it, she came out and hit me," Wanjiru told the court.

She also told the court that Waveti had accused her of tress pass.

Wanjiru further told the court that the accused had refused to engage in any reconciliatory efforts and was adamant about proceeding with the matter in court.

In her mitigation, Waveti told the court that she had spent a night in a police cell, spent money while attending the court case since July.

"I pray for the court to give me a just decision and to fine the complainant so that I can recover my expenses," Waveti submitted.

In her ruling, Embu senior resident magistrate Juliana Ndeng'eri said she had considered the mitigation, and the accused was not remorseful.