Chinese worker in racist eatery case set free on Sh100,000 bond

Politics and policy

Ms Zhao Yang, a manager at the controversial restaurant in court. PHOTO | FILE 

By VINCENT AGOYA
The prosecution has relaxed its stance against a Chinese immigrant who worked at a restaurant at the centre of a racism row and dropped its earlier objection to her release on bail.

Zhao Yang, who has also been charged with illegal stay in Kenya and spent three days at the Lang’ata women’s Prison, was required to deposit a bond of Sh100,000 to secure her freedom pending trial.

“The application for denial of bail has now been recounted by the State and they are now not opposed to the release of the accused person on bail,” presiding magistrate Edda Agade said while releasing the suspect.

“What they now pray for is for her to tender her passport in court until the matter is finalised.”

Ms Yang had through her lawyer Cliff  Ombeta pleaded for bail, saying that she was willing to abide by the conditions pegged to her release.

Last week, the Director of Public Prosecutions obtained a custodial order against Ms Yang and was allowed to detain her for two days after she was charged with being in the country illegally and operating a business without a permit.

The prosecution had claimed she stayed in the country for close to two years undetected.

It was also claimed then that she had no fixed residence and had refused to surrender or disclose details of her immigration status. She had denied the charges.

Ms Yang is the relations manager at the controversial restaurant, which had a strict “no-African after 5pm” policy.

She had said earlier that they chose to lock out Africans after 5pm for security reasons, following a recent attack by armed robbers who made away with Sh600,000 and robbed patrons at gunpoint.

Chinese investors had asked the government to go slow on taking action against the restaurant  warning that hasty action  would not uncover the real controversy behind the saga.

The case against Ms Yang was set for hearing on June 8 and a mention on April 14.