The Quickmart Supermarkets Buruburu branch deputy manager, who allegedly assaulted and detained two customers, including a minor he falsely accused of shoplifting, is facing assault charges.

Simon Kimari is accused of unlawfully assaulting Beatrice Bengai and her brother, who is a minor, and occasioning them actual bodily harm on August 3 inside the supermarket after claiming they had stolen 57 litres of milk at the outlet.

He denied the charges before Chief Magistrate Bearice Kimemia of Makadara law courts. He was released on a bond of Sh100,000 and an alternative cash bail of Sh80,000.

The case will be mentioned on August 27 for a pretrial before the trial kicks off.

The complainants had been sent to the supermarket to buy two litres of milk, and they paid Sh150 at one of the cash centres inside the supermarket, then proceeded to the milk ATM.

However, they found no one, and after waiting for some time, they told the police during investigations that they served themselves, assuming it was a self-service centre.

Shortly after, an attendant came to them and confirmed they had already made payment for the milk, but another attendant came before they left and invited Kimari to the ATM.

Kimari accused the two of stealing 57 litres of milk even though their container could not carry the quantity claimed by Kingori.

Their explanation that they had paid and did not know that they should have waited to be served fell on deaf ears.

He asked them for their parents’ contact and called their father, summoning him to the retailer to pay for 57 litres of milk which had been stolen and was required to be paid for, and he arrived immediately.

However, he found his children having been assaulted and ordered to kneel, and he left to report the matter to the police.

The children were later escorted to the Buruburu police station, where it was established, they had not stolen anything after interrogation.

Kimari apologised to the children at the police station. Police officers established that Bengai and her brother were not wrong because there was no one at the ATM to serve them the milk after making payment, and there was no notice at the milk ATM notifying customers not to serve themselves after making payment.

There was no evidence of intended theft, as the complainants had paid and served themselves the quantity of milk they had purchased, and Kimari was shown receipts by the attendants and the complainants themselves.

The supermarket issued a public apology over the incident and condemned Kimari for his actions.