The assault case against Kitui Water and Sanitation Company MD Geoffrey Kitonga will proceed on January 16.
Kitonga is charged with assaulting John Mwalya at Rick's Bar and Restaurant in Kitui town on October 18 causing him bodily harm. Mwalya is the clinical officer-in-charge of Kitui West. He pleaded not guilty.
When the case came up for mention before Kitui resident magistrate Maureen Kimani on Thursday, she upheld the Kitonga's Sh15,000 bail.
Kitonga was not present, the court was told he was unwell.
When he initially appeared before resident magistrate Felistus Nekesa, his lawyer Nzuki Mwinzi tried unsuccessfully to stop his prosecution. Mwingi had sought to stop the plea-taking, saying the matter was not properly filed.
Magistrate Nekesa said the court had no jurisdiction to dictate terms to the prosecution. She said the prosecution was free to investigate and bring whatever evidence it has to court.
Meanwhile, Nigerian Adepoji James was charged on Thursday before resident magistrate Nekesa with illegally being in Kenya. He pleaded not guilty.
Nekesa released him on Sh100,000 bond with a surety of a similar amount or an alternative bail of Sh60,000.
James pleaded that he was penniless, could not meet the condition of the bond and was required in a Kiambu court on Friday for a similar case. The magistrate told him to appeal the terms when the case comes up for mention on January 16.
On January 1 at Kanyonyoo along the Nairobi-Garissa Highway, James was found without a valid visa, the charge sheet reads.
Edited by R.Wamochie
