Were security guards justified to ‘clobber’ elderly school owner? – VIDEO
Investigations into a video on social media that captured security guards manhandling a woman from her property in a city estate has revealed details of a three-year dispute over Sh55, 000 service charge.
The woman, Ms Grace Njiru Koome, who owns a school in 360 degrees estate, Syokimau, claims she is being forced to pay service charge for a period she had not occupied the premise.
The estate was finished in 2012, but Ms Koome bought the premise in 2015 to set up the Kingdom Christian Schools. She claims the 360 Estate management wants her to pay service charge for the three years between completion and her occupancy.
“I bought the property and moved here in 2015, but the management are demanding that I pay service charge fees that backdated years prior to my purchase of the building,” Ms Koome told Nairobi News.
DENIED ACCESS
She claimed the estate’s management gave orders to Jeff Hamilton security guards two weeks ago to close access to the school after she refused to pay the service charge. The management also erected a gate at the entrance of her premises and locked it up, denying her and the students access for a full week.
She added that on Monday she was harassed and hit on the face by the guards, who she claims had been given orders not to allow her access the school.
Early February, reported the matter at Mlolongo police station, but was referred to the Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) who gave her a written order commanding the managment to open the premise.
The management opened the gate for only a week, and locked it up again on Monday.
When she went to bring down the gate, the management sent security guards who dragged her to their car and took her to Mlolongo police station where she recorded statement.
TRESPASSING
Surprisingly, the management now accused her of trespassing. On her part, she filed a report on assault.
Jeff Hamilton Security spokesperson denied any wrong doing on their part and said they went to check what was happening after an alarm went off.
“We received an alarm telling us that there was something wrong that was going on, hence the presence of the security there. We thought it was a robbery and we sent our enforcement team,” the spokesperson, who only identified herself as Lucy, said.
She said any dispute should take it up with the management.
When Nairobi News tried to reach the 360 management, our phone calls went unanswered.
Ms Koome says that she has undergone emotional distress, humiliation and severe headaches from the hit on her face. Her doctor says she suffered soft tissue injuries.
She is now appealing to the government and the Ministry of Education to intervene.
