This archive report was first published on 28 July 2019.
On July 28, 2019, a judge dismissed an application by Samuel Nderitu Wakanyua, a senior lecturer at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, to stop his prosecution for allegedly assaulting a colleague.
Justice John Mativo ruled that Wakanyua had failed to show that his prosecution was unfair or that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had abused his powers by preferring charges against him.
Wakanyua, a former acting Dean of Students, was accused of assaulting Prof Rosa Ko in October 2018 after she raised concerns over examination drafts for political science.
Wakanyua claimed that he was in a tight competition with Prof Ko for the position of Dean of Students and that the criminal proceedings were lodged by the police at her behest to further her ambitions and deflate his chances of ascending to the position.
However, the prosecution argued that the complaint was lodged on October 30, 2018, after Wakanyua assaulted Prof Ko, and that he was charged because there was sufficient evidence and not on any other considerations.
Prof Ko stated that Wakanyua attacked her after she informed him that she would not approve the draft examination questions unless her concerns were addressed.
