How nanny used hot water to defend self from armed robbers in Kayole

Hot water. (Courtesy/iStock)

A 23-year-old nanny, who was attacked and robbed of three months’ savings and a mobile phone in the early hours, managed to save herself from armed robbers by splashing hot water from the thermos on them, prompting members of public to intervene.

One of the suspected robbers; Fredrick Angara Otieno alias Junior, was in company of two other men when they robbed Dagma Salome Okwara on September 22 at Ummama grounds in Kayole area within Nairobi’s Njiru-Sub-County.

That early morning, at around 5:30 am, Salome, who had been working as a nanny, left her boss’s house with the intention of stopping by her sister’s place, before travelling up-country.

On her way along Kangundo road, a motorbike with two pillion passengers passed her, only to make a U-turn and stop at a point where Salome had reached. They almost fell down after braking instantly. They showed her knives to make her comply with the orders to surrender her mobile phone, cash and other valuables. Fearing for her life, she handed over her phone worth 10,500 along with cash money amounting to Sh15,000, money she had saved for months.

After she gave out all her cash, the accused threatened to kill her if she attempted to raise the alarm. However, Salome remembered that she had hot water in the thermos and she decided to splash the hot water on the attacker’s head, all the while screaming for help.

Members of the public then responded to her distress call and this got the trio confused after the bike failed to restart. The two managed to flee in different directions but the accused person’s adrenaline was dulled by the hot water, preventing him from running quickly. He was descended on by the public who beat him, leaving him with injuries on his right leg and head.

He appeared in court heavily bandaged on the head and leg, and assisted by other cellmates to move around. The court directed that the accused be taken to hospital. He was granted a bond of Sh500,000 pending a hearing on April 28 next year.