On Sunday, November 26, 2023, a group of armed individuals allegedly hired by a senior manager from KCB bank forcibly entered Pinewood Beach Resort and Spa in Diani, Kwale County. The assailants attacked both staff and guests during the incident on November 17.
According to the hotel management, this marks the second such occurrence, posing a severe threat to the business, which is presently accommodating numerous tourists worldwide.
The incident also affected guests, leading to the loss of unspecified valuables.
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To control the situation, local police had to resort to firing shots in the air, resulting in numerous injuries.
Alnoor Kanji, the owner and Managing Director of the hotel, pointed fingers at a receiver manager from Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), alleging their involvement in orchestrating the violent attack.
“We are grateful that none was killed,” he said of the November 17 attack that forced police to fire in the air, to restore peace and order.
“Without the protection of armed police and the courage of our staff, this may not have been the case. Tourist police had to intervene with gunfire while our staff were forced to fight the attackers head on,” he added.
The hotel is embroiled in a legal conflict as KCB endeavors to assume control of its management. However, a High Court in Mombasa has issued a restraining order, preventing KCB from taking over until a case challenging its intended action is heard and resolved.
