Wajir East Member of Parliament (MP), Kassim Amin, is off the hook after assault charges leveled against him were dropped.
The court acquitted Amin after Wajir County Woman Representative, Fatuma Gedi, on Thursday, November 18, withdrew the case she filed against him.
Gedi's application was received and accepted by the trial Magistrate, Martha Nazushi at the Milimani Law Court.
The Woman Rep told the court that they had reached an agreement to sort the matter out of court, and that no further prosecution of the MP should continue.
Gedi, who had filed the case in court after Kasim allegedly assaulted her within parliament precincts in 2019, did not tell the court what exactly led to the confrontation which subsequently led to the arrest and arraignment of the MP. To mark the end of their legal squabble, the two had a ceremonial handshake in the presence of the media outside the court.
While addressing the press, Gedi stated that the withdrawal of the case against Amin was inspired by the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga.
The Wajir East legislator's lawyer, Samson Nyamberi, lauded the two and the court for handling the matter honorably.
Witnesses claimed Gedi, who sat at the Parliamentary Budget and Appropriations Committee, was attacked by the MP in June 2019 over constituency funds allocated to Wajir East for the 2019/2020 budget.
While testifying against Kassim, the Woman Rep revealed that he attacker her at the parking lot as she was walking to Protection House in the company of Homa Bay County Woman Rep, Gladys Wanga.
The incident sparked drama and protests in parliament as women MPs chanted slogans in parliament, calling for action to be taken. Kassim went into hiding within the August House before he was rounded up by police officers.
Gedi's withdrawal saved her colleague from suffering the same fate as former MP, Mathew Lempurkel, should he have been found guilty. Lempurkel was sentenced to 12 months in prison for slapping Laikipia North MP, Sarah Korere, on November 21, 2016.
