Stephen Ngila, the man accused of chopping his wife's hand in Masii; Machakos County should get a very harsh punishment to deter any would-be wife batterer from committing ever contemplating such beastly acts.
It was a good move when on Wednesday this week at the Machakos Law Courts, Senior Principal Magistrate Kipkirui Kibellion ruled that the suspect who has been charged for attempted murder of his 27 years wife Jacqueline Mwende, should be remanded in police custody until investigations by the prosecution are completed.
The suspect's lawyer, Moses Kamolo, had urged the court to consider that the alleged offense was bailable, and the Constitution was very clear that any person be presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
The prosecution led by lawyer Joseph Gikonyo urged the court to "exercise caution" in determining the terms of allowing bond to the accused given the severity of the charges at hand.
"I have reasonable apprehension of intimidation on the part of the accused who is the husband of the complainant.By virtue that the accused knows the maternal home of the victim as well as her close kin,it could easily lead to contact by witnesses," Mr Gikonyo argued in his application contesting the release of the accused on bond which the Magistrate considered by declining to grant Stephen Ngila bond.
The Magistrate ruled that the accused be remanded until September 20, when his case will be heard.