A bar owner in Murang’a and his five clients have been put under forced quarantine after they were found locked up in a club to take liquor.
The bar owner who operates within Murang’a town has been accused of being notorious in operating his club despite government’s guidelines banning operations of bars and clubs in effort to combat spread of Covid 19.
The revelers who were nabbed while taking liquor in the club were taken for quarantine at Murang’a Teachers College for 14 days for going against Ministry of health directive to lock down bars this time the country is faced by threat of coronavirus.
Head of the county liquor licensing board , Phares Njue said they acted on a tip off from members of the public, before they raided the club and found the revelers dancing.
“The outlet license has been revoked while the revelers, the bar attendant and the owner were taken to a forced quarantine. They are also supposed to foot the expenses while at the quarantine,” said Njue.
She added that the suspects, after completing the 14-day quarantine will be charged in court for various charges of contravening government’s directives.
Owner of the bar John Kufu pleaded with the county enforcement officers from taking him into quarantine arguing that he was forced to open the premises and do business to save his family from hunger.
“Have mercy on me as I opened the facility secretly to support my family from hunger among other forms of sufferings,” he pleaded.
During the raid, the stock in the bar was transported to Murang’a police station as exhibit.
Murang’a governor Mwangi wa Iria last week warned bar owners who were contravening government’s measures aimed to curb spread of covid-19.
He observed that bar owners are exploiting various means to reach their customers saying those who will be nabbed will be put under quarantine at their own cost.
In the past one month, several revelers have been arrested for flouting the directives set to stop spread of the disease.
By Bernard Munyao
