Kenya's celebrated author charged with hawking fruits

juma chrispinus

August 6, 2018 11:56 AM

She was roughed up over the weekend.

Yvonne Adhiambo Owour, a renowned author was on Monday arraigned in Court and charged with hawking fruits in Nairobi.

Ms Adhiambo was charged with three counts, hawking fruits – watermelon, apple and bananas - without a permit, dumping litter and using abusive language and resisting arrest. The magistrate ordered the askaris to return her phone.

Drama ensued over the weekend when Ms Owuor was on Friday assaulted, her jacket ripped off, blouse torn and left her half naked in a shocking encounter with Nairobi County askaris outside Lavington Mall.

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The author of also had her spectacles and phone stolen during the incident. The court has ordered the County askaris to return the phone.

The Kenyan writer, who won the 2003 Caine Prize for African Writing for her story Weight of Whispers, blamed her attack on mistaken identity by the ruthless city askaris.

She happened to be standing by the roadside as the askaris attacked hawkers in the area and was caught up in the mix.

She was arrested and taken to City Hall where she was hauled before a Magistrate and charged with trading/hawking, littering and dumping, assaulting an officer, resisting arrest and obstructing justice.

She was later released on a Sh40,000 cash bail after entering a plea of not guilty.

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juma chrispinus