The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Renson Ingonga, has formally charged a man in connection with the violent robbery and assault of comedian Carren Chepchumba, popularly known as Bella Comedy, at a cultural festival held at Carnivore Gardens in Nairobi.
Bernard Kipkosgei Koyumi, also known by the alias Pavillion Motiryot, appeared before the Kibera Law Courts on Tuesday, August 12, to face charges of robbery with violence and assault causing actual bodily harm.
The charges arise from an incident that took place on August 9, 2025, during the Kutit Cultural Festival.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in a statement on Tuesday said that the accused is alleged to have stolen Ksh30,000 in cash and a Redmi 14 Pro smartphone worth Ksh26,000 from Bella Comedy.
Pavillion Motiryot charged after viral assault on Bella Comedy
According to ODPP, the incident reportedly occurred at around 8:00 PM within the festival grounds located in Langata Sub-County.
At the time of the incident, the comedian was attending the event to engage with fellow content creators and was actively creating digital content when she encountered the accused.
The prosecution claims that Motiryot physically attacked the victim—dragging and beating her with kicks and punches—causing injuries to her leg, stomach, and chest.
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In addition to the robbery charge, Motiryot also faces a separate count of assault due to the injuries allegedly inflicted during the attack.
“It was during the content creation when she met the accused person, who dragged her and assaulted her with kicks and blows, causing multiple injuries on her leg, stomach, and chest,” reads part of the statement.
Pavillion Motiryot denied all the charges. The court granted him a bond set at Ksh500,000.
The case is scheduled for mention on August 18, 2025, for further direction.
Uproar
This comes after a disturbing video widely circulated online showed the accused violently attacking Bella Comedy during the same event.
In the footage, shared across multiple platforms, Bella is initially seen kneeling before being hauled up and struck multiple times in the abdomen. Other men were present during the incident, but no one intervened.
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The assault has sparked outrage across the country. Many Kenyans, including public figures, have condemned the act. Kapseret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi had earlier demanded that the suspect surrender to authorities, while Nominated Senator Hamida Kibwana described the incident as part of a worrying trend of gender-based violence, calling it “totally unacceptable.”
In a tearful video shared on TikTok, Bella recounted the traumatic experience, expressing frustration over being attacked in public while bystanders watched.
She denied any wrongdoing and said she was targeted over claims that she had tarnished the businessman’s name online.
“Men were just watching,” she said, describing the assault as both painful and humiliating. She added that despite later attempts by the alleged attacker to contact her privately, she intended to pursue legal action and would not accept an apology.
Meanwhile, organisers of the Kutit Cultural Festival have distanced themselves from the incident and pledged to cooperate fully with authorities investigating the matter.
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