In a shocking incident captured on closed-circuit television (CCTV), a woman employed as a house help in Eastleigh, Nairobi, has been charged with the deliberate transmission of a terminal illness.
The accused, identified as PKH, allegedly spat on the food she had prepared for her employer while being aware of her HIV-positive status, violating Section 26(a) of the Sexual Offences Act (SOA) of 2006.
The incident occurred on October 25, 2023, and came to light when the employer, referred to as HYA, reviewed the CCTV footage. HYA, who serves as the complainant and the primary witness in the case, noticed PKH spitting on the food inside the kitchen, as recorded by the cameras.
Upon further investigation, it was discovered that PKH had been contaminating all the food she cooked for the family with her saliva.
HYA promptly reported the incident to the Pangani police station, leading to a search of PKH’s belongings. The search revealed Antiretroviral (ARVs) medication in her possession, confirming her HIV-positive status. Subsequently, PKH was arrested.
During the police inquiry, HYA revealed that she had hired PKH through a domestic workers’ recruitment agency in South C, Nairobi, on October 20, 2023. The shocking discovery was made just five days into PKH’s employment, prompting HYA to review the CCTV footage. It was determined that PKH had been living with the disease since childhood.
PKH denied the charges in front of Principal Magistrate Erick Mutunga of the Makadara Law Courts. The prosecution, represented by counsel Joy Kaaria, requested that PKH be detained at the Pangani police station for a medical examination, a request granted by Magistrate Mutunga. PKH was remanded in police custody until October 31, 2023.
