John Nwankwo Noko, a Nigerian national accused of assaulting a woman confined to a wheelchair, was deported over the weekend.
Noko was caught in viral CCTV footage assaulting the woman inside a residence. According to the footage, the incident occurred on March 27, 2024, at 8:46 p.m.
In a statement, the Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts, and Heritage announced that the suspect was apprehended on May 3 and underwent deportation proceedings, facilitated by the intervention of Interior CS Prof Kithure Kindiki.
CCTV footage captures Nigerian man by name John Nwankwo Noko assaulting a Kenyan woman on a wheelchair. The case was to be heard on 22 of this month and the case file disappeared on that day. The prosecutor from Karen police station stopped picking the plaintiffs number… pic.twitter.com/1cYrxAeRSN
— Cyprian, Is Nyakundi (@C_NyaKundiH) April 26, 2024
“When the matter was raised to us, we followed up with the Interior Ministry and requested his deportation. Action has since been taken, and we appreciate the swift response and efforts made. Mr Noko has been arrested and processed for deportation,” the statement read in part.
The footage depicts the man assaulting the woman, prompting two women to intervene and assist in moving the woman to safety.
On April 29, 2024, the video gained widespread attention as it went viral, catching the eye of nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba, who initiated the process of seeking justice for the victim.
The Nation verified that the incident was reported at Karen Police Station and recorded under Occurrence Book (OB) number 25/27/03/2024.
Despite being slated for a court appearance on April 22, the case file mysteriously disappeared under unclear circumstances.
“The prosecutor even stopped responding to the plaintiff’s phone calls, despite her lawyers’ attempts. The suspect even intimidated the two women who witnessed the incident,” claimed Orwoba.
She declared her intention to advocate for legislation aimed at integrating digitization systems for government information, including police files.
Although police service systems have been digitized, there have been instances of rogue officers breaking the law to ensure suspects are released.
The digitization process of Occurrence Books (OB) is currently underway nationwide, with instantaneous reports from stations being sent to Vigilance House in Nairobi.
In a previous interview, Interior Ministry CS Prof Kithure Kindiki underscored the significance of a digital OB, highlighting its potential to address citizens' concerns, particularly regarding missing and tampered files.
“The shift from manual to digital will also reduce cases of corruption,” he said.
Furthermore, leveraging Gava Mkononi, a platform that provides government services, the Ministry intends to implement a digital police complaint system. This initiative will enable individuals to lodge complaints online, eliminating the need for physical interaction.
