Mercy Auma
Former Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel has been released on Sh100,000 cash bail pending the appeal ruling on his assault case.
The lawmaker had been sentenced to one year behind bars for assaulting nominated MP Sarah Korere in 2016.
Senior Principal Magistrate Hellen Onkwani found the former legislator guilty of assault and sentenced him to one year with no alternative to pay a fine.
“The court has considered that there are many issues of violence in the country and also fact that the accused is a first offender,” she said.
Read: Lempurkel Sentenced to One Year in Jail for Slapping MP Korere in 2016
“I note from the mitigation record that the accused is a leader who needs to be a good example to others so I proceed to sentence the accused person to serve one-year imprisonment.”
Lempurkel was directed to appeal the ruling within 14 days.
Onkwani also noted that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that Lempurkel assaulted Korere contrary to section 251 of the penal code.
She also dismissed Lempurkel’s defense where he claimed the allegations were politically instigated.
Read: Former Laikipia North MP Lempurkel Denies Hate Speech Charges, Freed on Bail
“The CCTV was at the corridor but the offence was committed in the boardroom and not in the corridor and such the said CCTV would have been immaterial consideration of this case,” the court observed.
On whether Lempurkel had also been assaulted by Korere, Onkwani noted that while the duo was issued with P3 forms, the former did not present in court medical records or the form to support his case.
It is said that Lempurkel caused Korere bodily harm by slapping her on her left cheek and kicking her on her lower abdomen.
The incident took place at Harambee House, Nairobi on November 21, 2016.
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