Man denies assaulting police officer during shisha raid

Innocent Alusyola

Innocent Alusyola at the Kibera law courts.

Photo credit: Joseph Ndunda | Nation Media Group

A man who allegedly assaulted a police officer after he was found with Shisha at a social joint in Nairobi West will remain in custody awaiting sentencing after he pleaded guilty to another charge of selling a banned substance.

Innocent Alusyola admitted that he was found selling Shisha when he was arraigned before Kibera chief magistrate Ann Mwangi.

The raid happened after Nation exclusively reported that the 2017 ban on shisha had flopped.

He will be sentenced on August 17 after his social inquiry report is tabled.

But he denied assaulting Corporal Mohammed Buke of Akila police station during the arrest.

Alusyola was charged with assaulting and injuring Buke on July 23 contrary to Section 103 of the National Police Service Act of 2011.

He is accused of assaulting Buke jointly with others at large.

Three police officers were on patrol at night when they stormed the social joint and found revellers smoking Shisha and arrested Alusyola who is the owner of the joint.

Alusyola allegedly assaulted Buke during the arrest and incited the revellers who ganged up against the officers forcing them to retreat and seek reinforcement.

When they returned to the joint, all had left except Alusyola. He was arrested and escorted to Akila police station. The shisha pot was also recovered.

In mitigation, Alusyola told Ms Mwangi that he was not selling the Shisha but enjoying it with friends.

In the charge of assaulting a police officer, he was granted a cash bail of Sh30,000.