The Small Claims Courts have no authority over cases involving women “eating fare.” This is according to Senior Resident Magistrate and Eldoret Small Claims Court adjudicator Tabitha Wanjiku Mbugua. The same advice applies to cases involving witch doctors who do not deliver despite receiving payments.
Speaking at the Uasin Gishu police’s annual thanksgiving ceremony at Eldoret Central Police Station gardens on Sunday, Ms. Wanjiku said that men had numerous attempts to file complaints against women who receive funds to show up for dates but fail to honor their end of the bargain.
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“I sympathize with men who lose money to their female friends who eat their fare but fail to honor the invites. Some of these men have approached my court for help, but, unfortunately, my court cannot compel such women to pay back the fare. The law on the jurisdiction of small claims courts does not allow me to adjudicate on that,”
She further cautioned citizens who seek the services of witch doctors that the fee just in case they fail to deliver could not be claimed in the courts since the law does not acknowledge the existence of witchcraft.
“These cases of claiming that you paid a witchdoctor, and the charms did not work cannot be claimed in our court. When charms fail to work after paying for services, if you want your money back just settle it with your witchdoctor.”
Ms. Mbugua advised citizens against relying on social media for information on the courts and instead seek information from the Judiciary information desk in all courts countrywide or seek proper information through court users’ committees.
In July 2022, there was a viral fake news report about a woman fined Sh23,000 for “eating fare.” The story alleged the woman was financed to attend a birthday party but missed it and switched off her phone.
However, the Judiciary jumped in quickly, clarified that the report was fake, and asked Kenyans to disregard it.
Ms. Mbugua disclosed that the judiciary and its stakeholders would embark on a campaign in the North Rift to create awareness among residents on the operations and authority of the Small Claims Courts