Nigerian man accused of assaulting Kenyan woman on wheelchair deported
By Nyaboga KiageJohn Nwankwo Noko, a Nigerian national accused of assaulting a woman confined to a wheelchair, was deported over the weekend.
Noko was captured in viral CCTV footage assaulting the woman inside a house. The incident, according to the footage, took place on March 27, 2024, at 8.46pm.
In a statement, the Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts, and Heritage, said the suspect was arrested on May 3 and processed for deportation, following intervention by Interior CS Prof Kithure Kindiki.
“When the matter was raised to us, we followed up with the Interior Ministry and requested his deportation. Action has since been taken, and we appreciate the swift response and efforts made. Mr Noko has been arrested and processed for deportation,” the statement read in part.
The footage shows the man assaulting the woman, prompting intervention by two women who helped move the woman to safety.
On April 29, 2024, the video went viral, drawing the attention of nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba, who initiated the process of seeking justice for the victim.
The Nation confirmed that the matter was reported at Karen Police Station under Occurrence Book (OB) number 25/27/03/2024.
Although scheduled to appear in court on April 22, the case file went missing under unclear circumstances.
“The prosecutor even stopped responding to the plaintiff’s phone calls, despite her lawyers’ attempts. The suspect even intimidated the two women who witnessed the incident,” claimed Orwoba.
She announced plans to push for legislation to integrate digitisation systems for government information, including police files.
While police service systems are digitised, rogue officers have been known to break the law to ensure suspects go free.
The process of digitising the Occurrence Books (OB) is ongoing in the country, with instant reports from stations sent to Vigilance House in Nairobi.
In an earlier interview, Interior Ministry CS Prof Kithure Kindiki emphasised the importance of a digital OB, stating it would alleviate citizens’ concerns, especially regarding missing and files that are tampered with.
“The shift from manual to digital will also reduce cases of corruption,” he said.
Additionally, through Gava Mkononi, an outlet that offers government services, the Ministry plans to establish a digital police complaint system, allowing people to file complaints online without physical interaction.