A man in Nairobi’s Soweto area is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to unlawfully causing grievous harm by pouring hot cooking oil on a woman who was frying and selling samosas by the roadside. 

Frankpus Juma Oduor appeared before Chief Magistrate Beatrice Kimemia, where he admitted to the charges. 

The court heard that on April 2, at 7:30 pm, in the Soweto-Shauriyako area of Embakasi East Sub-County, Nairobi County, Oduor caused extensive injuries to Eunice Akinyi by splashing boiling oil on her right hand, knee and thighs. 

According to the facts presented in court, Akinyi was conducting her roadside business when Oduor, reportedly intoxicated, approached her and demanded free samosas and chips. When she refused, stating it was not the first time he had made such demands, he threatened to kick over the sufuria (cooking pot) containing the boiling oil.  

He immediately carried out the threat, causing the hot oil to spill on her. The incident drew the attention of members of the public, who responded to the victim’s distress calls and helped restrain Oduor.

He was frogmarched to a nearby police station, where he was arrested and booked for questioning. 

Oduor told the court that he had gone to buy samosas for his sister when he accidentally stepped on a burning piece of wood. This, he claimed, caused the wood to hit the sufuria, tipping it over and splashing the oil on the complainant. 

The Chief Magistrate directed that Oduor be remanded at the Industrial Area Remand Prison pending the reading of facts and sentencing, scheduled for April 24.