Hellen Nyambura Njoki, a woman charged with threatening to kill her friend through abusive WhatsApp messages, caused an unexpected scene in a Nairobi court when she abruptly pretended to lose her ability to speak.
When Magistrate Gilbert Shikwe called for her to respond to the charges, Hellen remained silent, leaving the court in confusion.
The prosecution was initially unsure whether she was genuinely speechless or intentionally avoiding answering. The Magistrate asked the prosecutor if there was any indication that the suspect might have a verbal impairment.
The prosecutor, however, suggested that Hellen might simply be exercising her constitutional right to remain silent.
Hellen faced several charges, including using her WhatsApp account to threaten Miriam Athmani Yunus, informing her that she had contacted the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and was planning to take matters into her own hands by killing her.
Additionally, Hellen was accused of cyber harassment after allegedly sending Miriam abusive and threatening messages on April 13, 2024.
When the court assistant read out the six criminal charges against her, Hellen maintained her silence, prompting the court to enter a not guilty plea on her behalf.
Magistrate Shikwe then set her bail at Ksh 150,000 in cash, allowing Hellen to be released pending further proceedings in the case.
