By Our Staff Reporter, Nairobi
KENYA
A Catholic priest was charged in Kenyan court on Thursday with
spreading the novel coronavirus, the second person to face such charges in
Kenya.
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| Kenyan Catholic priest Richard Onyango Oduor sits on the open-air dock as he was charged at the Milimani Law Courts with spreading the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Nairobi, Kenya April 16, 2020 |
Kenya, which has 234 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 11
deaths, has banned all public gatherings, limited the number of mourners at
funerals, imposed a daily curfew and restricted movement in and out of four
regions most affected.
Catholic priest Richard Onyango Oduor was charged with having
“negligently spread an infectious disease” after authorities said he failed to
adhere to coronavirus quarantine rules following a visit to Italy.
He denied the charges in a Nairobi court, and was freed on a
150,000 Kenyan shilling ($1,415) bond. He was ordered to spend another 14 days
in quarantine and reappear in court on May 2.
Archbishop Anthony Muheria, in charge of the Catholic dioceses
of Nyeri and Kitui, told Reuters he could not comment on the case, and it was
up to the authorities to determine whether the priest was at fault.
Last week, another court charged Gideon Saburi, the deputy governor
of the coastal region of Kilifi County, with spreading the coronavirus by going
out in public without taking precautions. He also denied the charges as was
freed on bond while being ordered to self-quarantine. - Africa
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