The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi could face assault charges after he allegedly beat up the society’s CEO Mercy Wambua at their Gatanga-road-based offices during a meeting on Monday.
Wambua reported to police at Muthangari that she had been assaulted under OB34/12/7/2021, and explained to journalists that she had her right arm and finger hurt during the scuffle that erupted when the heated meeting allegedly turned ugly.
She recounted that upon learning that Havi and team had convened a council meeting at the society’s boardroom, she joined them but was only met by shouts that she was a stranger.
She said that the meeting was scheduled to be held both physically and virtually; what Havi disputes. The LSK president says the meeting was scheduled to be held physically and that 12 council members had attended.
“He was there with legitimate council members allied to him as well as a team calling themselves caretaker members. Other legitimate council members joined online,” Wambua said.
She added that when she sat down, opened her laptop and refused to leave, she claimed, the president rose up and charged at her, slamming her laptop shut and shoving her, and in the process, she said her arm and finger got injured.
“It was embarrassing and I was assaulted. This is wrong. I have also filled the P3 form for further police action,” she said.
On his part, Nelson Havi told K24 Digital that Wambua was supposed to be on leave and that there was no fight during the meeting that he says Wambua gatecrashed.
“First of all don’t forget that Mercy Wambua was sent on compulsory leave on June 26,” he said, adding that; “We had a meeting of the council today as from 11.30am. 30 minutes into the meeting, Mercy knocked on the door and entered the boardroom where we were having the meeting.
“She purported that the room had been booked for another meeting and logged on into a separate virtual meeting.
“Since she was not to be part of our meeting, two council members told her to leave, but she insisted to stay in the meeting room,” Havi explained to K24 Digital.
“She proceeded with her virtual meeting where she was making introductions and indicating that we were strangers. I never wanted to be involved in the drama so I told her to close her laptop and helped her to leave the boardroom,” the LSK president added.
Havi also confirmed to K24 Digital that he is aware that Wambua had gone to a police station and later to a hospital over the issue.
“I’ve heard that she went to Muthangari police station and later to Aga Khan for medication alleging that she had injuries on the fingers. Her car is still parked at the LSK offices,” he said.
Wambua and Havi have had a long-running tussle after Havi declared her sacked in October last year. He claims she was part of the team that had embezzled the society’s money.
The council of 13 had however voted 9-4 to clear her of any wrongdoing and reinstated her back to office.
