Two senior officials who forced female workers to remove their underwear over a sanitary pad disposed of in the wrong bin will be back in court on Monday after spending the weekend in police custody.
Vivian Oka Mukoko and Rose Opondo were on Friday arraigned in a Limuru court where the police sought to detain them for seven days pending the completion of investigations.
The two suspects had to spend the weekend at Tigoni police station after Limuru senior principal magistrate Jared Magoli said the court needed some time to give directions on the matter.
“The court needs enough time to check both parties’ submissions regarding whether the police need more time to investigate them more. The court will give its ruling on Monday afternoon,” Magoli ruled.
The two were arrested at Brown Cheese Company after they were alleged to have forced female workers to undress to confirm who was on her menses.
This was after a used sanitary pad was found dumped in a dustbin instead of a sanitary disposal bin.
According to the detectives handling the case, the two ended up forcing a lot of women to undress before them so that they can identify who could be the suspect.
On Friday, Limuru subcounty Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss Felix Mutua said the case was reported at Tigoni police station on July 5.
Mutua told Magoli that 34 witnesses had recorded their statements.
However, he said he wanted to consult more from his seniors and the office of director of public prosecutions.
He noted that, the issues surrounding the case have caused public uproar and that the security of the two was under threat so he asked the court to issue an order detaining them at Tigoni police station if his 10 days prayer was issued.
However, two defence lawyers objected to the police prayers, saying the two had families who depend on them and homes where they can live.
They told the magistrate that the two cannot run away since they did not wait to be arrested but presented themselves to the police.
Magoli said he had considered the prosecution’s request and the objection of the defence, the court would issue its instructions on Monday at 2 Pm.
Women human rights lobby Groots Kenya led by Kiambu nominated MCA Pacifica Ongecha who were in court said they will follow up until justice is done to the victims.
“This is human rights violation done to women workers by female managers. This is wrong, intimidation, lack of respect and hatred. We want justice to be done,” Ongecha said.
Ongecha and other women on Thursday protested at the company and stuck different types of pads at the company’s gate.