Nairobi man begs court to protect him from violent wife: 'I can no longer defend myself'

A man from Tassia Estate has emotionally pleaded with a court to protect him from his estranged wife, claiming he has been subjected to repeated domestic abuse and is unable to defend himself due to his frailty.

The husband, Victor Kimuyu, appeared before Chief Magistrate Beatrice Kimemia at the Makadara Law Courts, where he revealed that he had obtained a court order from the Family Division court barring his wife, Jackyline Kivele Munguti, from accessing his home but said the order has done little to stop her continued harassment.

He told the magistrate that he was a victim of gender-based violence and sought the court to rescue him from his wife, who had turned out to be violent and abusive.

Kimuyu had been charged alongside his wife, Munguti. They were both accused of assaulting each other at Kimuyu's house in Tassia Estate, within Embakasi East Sub-County, Nairobi, on June 19.

Munguti also denied assaulting and injuring her husband, claiming she was acting out of self-defense.

The court heard that Kimuyu returned home at around 5:00 pm only to find that some of his furniture had been taken without consent. When Munguti returned later that evening, a quarrel ensued, which escalated into a physical fight.

It took the intervention of neighbours to rescue Kimuyu before reporting the matter at the Tassia police post.

Kimuyu informed the court that the order he had obtained to bar his estranged wife from his house has not helped him since Munguti keeps popping up at his premises and causing chaos.

"Your honor, my last hopes are in this court since I can no longer defend myself from my wife, Munguti," he said while struggling to audibly articulate his grievance.

In an emotional appeal, Kimuyu urged the court to protect him from Munguti, who he said has neglected him and their three children due to her violent nature.

He prayed for lenient release terms, urging the court to maintain the Sh8,000, the money he had paid as cash bail at the police station, so as to be able to go home and attend to his three children aged 16, 10, and four.

Kimuyu further insisted that he experienced his wife's brutality in the presence of their children. He added that he suffered from a chronic condition making him frail and thus unable to defend himself, let alone a court order barring Munguti from his premises.

He shared the same with honourable Kimemia and told the court that their children were left under the care of a home assistant hired by his uncle to temporarily take care of them while they battle in court.

Kimuyu asked for lenient bail and bond terms to enable him to prepare and raise fees for his children, who are going back to school in the next few weeks.

Kimuyu was released on a cash bail of Sh8,000 pending mention on September 4, while Munguti was released on a bond of Sh100,000 and an alternative cash bail of Sh30,000.