The High Court in Nairobi has stopped any criminal proceedings against a minor who was bailed out by former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko.
The minor had been accused of destruction of private property.
Sonko secured the release of the minor who had been remanded at the Lang’ata women’s prison on bond terms.
The suspension of the prosecution by the High Court followed an application by the mother of the minor at the Employment and Labour Relations Court seeking to stop the proceedings.
The mother, through lawyer her lawyer argues that her child is a victim of child labour.
The Employment and Labour Relations court has also ordered the Kajiado County, Labour Officer and Children officer to investigate the respondent over claims of abusing minors in his house.
The case will be heard on March 20, 2025. Sonko and one other are interested parties in the case.
In the application, the mother is also seeking court orders to have the respondent restrained from verbally engaging her, their family and friends or any other person associated with her.
The applicant accuses the respondent of using the minor to perform household duties despite the fact that he had agreed to take the child to school while under his custody.
It is alleged that the minor caused malicious damage to property while she stayed with the respondent.
According to the charge sheet, the minor allegedly damaged a television set valued at over Sh30,000 in early 2025.
According to Sonko, there are rising cases of minors being forced into domestic labour, insisting that this must be brought to an end.
He called on the government to take action and ensure those responsible are brought to book.
“Cases of child abuse, where minors are forced into domestic labour as maids or other unauthorized work, must come to an end. The government, through the Ministry of Labour, must take decisive action to eradicate this vice and ensure that those responsible for such abuses face prosecution,” Sonko said after appearing in court for the mentioning of the case on Thursday.
