Court Drops Assault Case Against Governor Sonko

A Voi court on Wednesday dropped an assault case against embattled Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko.

The case, in which Governor Sonko was accused of assaulting Coast Regional Police Commander Rashid Yakub, was dismissed after an application by the complainant on Tuesday to withdraw the charges. Sonko allegedly assaulted Yakub during his arrest in Voi, Taita Taveta County on December 6th, 2019 over corruption allegations.

In a ruling on Wednesday, Senior Resident Magistrate Fredrick Nyakundi dismissed the case leveled against Sonko, stating that the complainant (Yakub) was no longer interested in pursuing the matter.

In his application, Yakub told the court that his “conscience had directed him to forgive and forget,” adding that he has not had peace in his soul ever since the case was taken to court. He also refuted claims that he was pressurized to drop the case.

“I was not compromised by Sonko, I don’t know him and I have never met him. I am a Muslim and I don’t harbor grudges. He assaulted me, but I have decided to move on. Even the Bible asks Christians to forgive those who wrong them,” he said.

He added: “Those claiming I was pressurized to drop the charges must know we are human first and human is to error. Nobody can pressurize me to drop assault charges if I am the victim. Sometimes, we can act out of anger and Sonko and I are not different. My heart is clean after immense soul searching, I decided to let go of the case.”