Tononoka Children’ s court has barred the media from covering a matter involving two minors, who survived a grisly road accident that claimed the lives of their parents and 3 sisters.
Tononoka principal magistrate, Viola Yator, allowed the application made orally by one of the lawyers, William Mogoka, who informed the court that the matter involved minors and that media should not be allowed to cover the court proceedings.
“I think that should be the correct position, furthermore we are still observing the Covid 19 protocols and for now the media should step outside and wait until the proceedings are over to peruse the file,” she ruled.
Ronald Bundi, his wife Veronica Bundi and three of their children died in a road accident on the eve of Christmas day, along Mackinnon Road along Mombasa Nairobi highway.
In the matter before the court, the mother to the deceased Gladys Kwamboka Omwega, alongside her three sons have been listed as plaintiffs, while Harliet Gesare and Rose Mirieri have been listed as defendants, while Nyali sub-county children’s officer, alongside Mombasa county children’s coordinator, sub-county children’s officer Bobasi and Kisii County children’s coordinator have been listed as interested parties.
The matter was coming up for further directions after, the same court last week on Friday reversed orders earlier issued, allowing the return of the two minors in their parents’ house in Kisimani. The order came after the court was moved in an application by the Nyali Sub-county children’s office seeking to have the orders stayed, after the children’s department established that the two minors had not been discharged from Coast General hospital.
The duo was however discharged on Tuesday and was still held up at the Coast General awaiting further directions from the court.
Omwega in his affidavit before court states that the respondent in the matter,Gesare who was the first cousin, to the two minors was a student currently undertaking her attachment while the 2nd respondent resides in Ukambani and their sources of income or ability to support the minors is unknown.
“I aver that since the demise of our relatives, the defendants have taken over most of the deceased’s clothing and infarct are the ones they are putting on, and that the defendants have been unable to show their ability on how they would meet the minors daily needs and were depending on good Samaritans to help and which itself not in the best interest of the minors,” reads part of the affidavit.
He further sought to be the guardian of the minors.
