HIV-Positive House Help Who Spat on Her Employer's Food Charged in Court

A 24-year-old HIV-positive house help who was caught on CCTV cameras spitting saliva on the food she had prepared for her employer in Eastleigh, Nairobi has been charged with intentionally spreading the terminal illness.

The accused woman hailing from Vihiga County is under scrutiny for deliberately contaminating food in an attempt to spread disease. As per section 26 (a) of the Sexual Offences Act (SOA) of 2006, this is a punishable offence. The event took place on October 25, 2023, and was brought to light when the employer observed the CCTV footage. In the ensuing review, it became evident that the accused maid had spit on several meals she had prepared.

Following the prompt reporting of the incident to Pangani Police Station, authorities conducted a thorough search of the suspect's belongings. In the course of the search, antiretroviral drugs were found, and the confirmation of her HIV status resulted in her subsequent arrest. On October 20, 2023, she was employed by a domestic workers' recruitment agency located in South C, Nairobi. After just five days of employment, her employer decided to review the footage from the CCTV cameras installed throughout the house.

In response, the prosecution counsel Joy Kaaria requested that the suspect be held at Pangani Police Station in order to undergo a medical examination. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges in front of Principal Magistrate Erick Mutunga of the Makadara Law Courts and was subsequently remanded at the police station until October 31, 2023.