Joyce Wanja alias Wagichungumwa withdraws assault case against MP Moses Kuria

Wa Gichungumwa, in an application to Milimani Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku, petitioned the court to have the suit adjourned with no further proceedings.

The petitioner told the court that she did not wish to disclose the reasons why she decided to withdraw the case, noting that she had neither been paid nor coerced into the change of heart.

She insisted that the legislator had not been involved in her new decision, absolving him of any involvement.

"I allow the request by the complainant and withdraw the charges against the accused MP Kuria under section 204 of the Criminal Procedural Code(CPC) and order the cash he deposited in court be refunded," the judge ruled on Thursday.

Joyce Wanja alias Mwari wa Gichungumwa Pulse Live Kenya

Assault during interview

The well-known grassroots mobilizer from Kiambu County, in a statement to police stated that Mr Kuria had assaulted her during an interview at the Royal Media Services studios in January 2020.

Joyce claims that the MP insulted women from the county last December when he stated that their underwear stinks.

"He insulted the women in Kiambu county during an event hosted by Gospel musician Loise Kim. He [Moses Kuria] talked about women's underwear and said that they are filthy because anyone can have intercourse with them at any place.

"And I offered to buy women's underwear for him to take to the women that he had found with dirty underwear because I believe if you find that someone has a problem then you should help them instead of parading them at their worst. When I offered that solution, Moses Kuria turned on me and punched me and I fell to the ground. People had to come help me to get up," she stated at the time.

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria Pulse Live Kenya

Kuria was arrested shortly after the report and an appeal by Wanja and women who supported her claim.

The MP spent a night in custody and would later be released on Sh20,000 cash bail as the case proceeded to court.

Shortly after his release, Kuria claimed that he had been hounded due to his chosen political stand against President Uhuru Kenyatta in favour of his deputy William Ruto.

"We just had a quarrel with the woman (Activist Jane Wanja) but there was no physical altercation," Kuria stated…They want to defame me and because I am not a thief, they seized this opportunity.

"I want to send a humble appeal to the president. You are in a polygamous family. Be even-handed on everyone. Let Raila, Matiang'i and Waiguru camp play their game and let the other one led by DP Ruto play our game, and then we will meet in the grassroots," Kuria stated at the time.