FMT:
Kenya charges quarantine-dodger priest for spreading Covid-19
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Priests conduct a service without a congregation on Easter Sunday, in Nairobi AP pic |
NAIROBI: A Catholic priest was charged in Kenyan court on Thursday with spreading the novel coronavirus, the second person to face such charges in Kenya.
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 US$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.
Some African countries have had trouble persuading citizens to comply with restrictions imposed to curb the virus.
Kenyan media have been awash with stories of people trying to circumvent restrictions, holding parties in their houses and parks due to bar closures.
A lawmaker was arrested for holding a party at a restaurant in the capital on Easter weekend.
Last week, some Botswana lawmakers were put in supervised quarantine after failing to observe an instruction to self-isolate.
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 US$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.
Some African countries have had trouble persuading citizens to comply with restrictions imposed to curb the virus.
Kenyan media have been awash with stories of people trying to circumvent restrictions, holding parties in their houses and parks due to bar closures.
A lawmaker was arrested for holding a party at a restaurant in the capital on Easter weekend.
Last week, some Botswana lawmakers were put in supervised quarantine after failing to observe an instruction to self-isolate.
KT so interested in Kenyan and Botswanian MCO but not interested to learn or comment about our very own 1MDB. I wonder why?
ReplyDeleteBecause the 1MDB culprits were not Guanee, LKS and Toonsie? Ha ha ha....
QUOTE KT
Peter, have I ever commented on 1MDB, a subject I know very little about, and not enough to comment on?
UNQUOTE
Batswana, not Botswanian
DeleteJust as I thought, KT must be granted Botswanian (ha ha ha) citizenship, is that in Africa or Pacific ocean (ha ha ha again) still pretending to be clueless about 1MDB because Toonsie was not the thief.....
Delete