Two men allegedly attached to Magunas supermarket were today charged with assaulting and causing body injuries to a female customer.
Appearing before Meru High Courts Senior Resident Magistrate Maureen Odhiambo, Simon Mwandikwa Matiti pleaded not guilty and was released on a cash bail of Sh 7, 000.
The Magistrate issued a warrant of arrest for the second accused, Patrick Itieng’ Etila, for failure to present self in court.
The two are accused of jointly and unlawfully assaulting Lisa Kanario Kiogora on 2nd of August 2023 at Makutano area in Imenti North thus occasioning her actual body arm, contrary to section 251 of the penal code.
According to Kanario, she had gone shopping at the said facility at around five in the evening and upon missing some items, she sought help from the staff members and was referred to the Meru town-based facility.
Kanario would later return, only to find three sachets of downy fabric softener in her shopping basket.
A move to remove the added items from the basket was met by questions from male staff members who manned the facility, accusing her of shoplifting.
She was later ordered to undergo a frisking exercise at a dark private room.
“They whipped me severely, made me frog-march before forcing me carry heavy load of a bale of maize flour up the stairs, this went ahead for about an hour,” said Kanario.
She was later asked to produce Sh 600 to pay for the ‘stolen items’. Kanario sought the help of a close friend to meet the budget.
A receipt that was retrieved from the supermarket showed that she had paid a total of SH 600 for items purchased including two empty carton.
According to a doctor’s report, Kanario had injuries on the back as a result of whipping, swollen legs and forehead.
The family wants justice done to their 23-year-old daughter as no evidence was produced by the facility to march the accusations against her.
The case is scheduled to be mentioned on 15th August 2023.
