Two men from Nairobi have been charged with the offense of neglecting their duty to safeguard a child from the consumption of alcohol, as outlined in section 16 in conjunction with section 20 of the Children’s Act of 2001.
The charges stem from allegations that they provided alcoholic beverages to a 12-year-old son of their acquaintance.
The two, Michael Imbura and Lewis Gachago are accused of failing to prevent the minor from drinking vodka at their house in Saika Estate, Njiru sub-county in Nairobi, on August 2.
The two are accused of committing the offense jointly with others, including the employer of the minor’s mother, who owns the house.
The minor’s mother had sent him to deliver a letter to her employer.
He delivered the letter, but before leaving, he was urged to hang around the house. The mother’s employer left with another man leaving the minor in the house with three men- who included the two accused persons.
The minor was later served the alcoholic drink, after which he started vomiting before he blacked out.
After waiting for a long, his mother went to the house to check on him and found Imbura and Gachango who directed her to the room where she found the minor drunk and unconscious.
The minor’s mother called the police, who proceeded to the house, arrested the two suspects, and rescued the minor, who was rushed to Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, where he was treated.
The minor later recorded a statement with the police after being discharged from the hospital.
The suspects denied the charges before Principal Magistrate Irene Gichobi of the Makadara Law Courts and sought lenient bail and bond terms.
They were released on a bond of Sh20,000 with a surety of a similar amount and an alternative cash bail of Sh10, 000.
The case will be mentioned on September 7 before the hearing starts on October 31.
The police are still seeking the other accomplices of the two.
