ELDORET, Kenya – A 29-year-old man accused of assaulting his mother has been acquitted after the complainant withdrew the case and instead sought treatment for his drug and alcohol addiction.
Kennedy Kibet Jeptum walked free after his mother, 54-year-old nurse Josephine Jeptum, told the Eldoret Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court that she no longer wished to pursue criminal charges against her son.
Josephine, who works at Sergoit Dispensary in Uasin Gishu County, urged Senior Resident Magistrate Beatrice Toroitich to release her son on condition that he be admitted to a private rehabilitation facility on the outskirts of Eldoret.
The court heard that Kennedy, a former Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) student at the Eldoret campus, had dropped out of college before the incident.
According to court documents, the alleged assault occurred on May 24, 2026, at Soin Village. Prosecutors told the court that Kennedy, who was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and drugs, demanded his mother’s mobile phone to make calls.
When she declined, he allegedly became violent, insulting her before striking her several times with a piece of wood. He also accused her of informing his uncles about his relapse into substance abuse.
The attack left Josephine with serious injuries. She received treatment at a nearby health facility before reporting the matter to Chepkanga Police Station, leading to Kennedy’s arrest and detention at Eldoret GK Remand Prison.
While addressing the court, Josephine said she believed rehabilitation would offer a better solution than imprisonment, asking the court to give her son an opportunity to recover from addiction.
Kennedy also pleaded for forgiveness and thanked his mother for withdrawing the charges.
In her ruling, Magistrate Toroitich acquitted the accused following the complainant’s request but directed that he be escorted immediately to a rehabilitation centre to begin treatment for drug and alcohol dependency.
The court said the rehabilitation programme was intended to address the root cause of the behaviour that led to the assault allegations.
