Nairobi, Kenya – Top telecommunications company, Safaricom PLC, is under pressure to withdraw sponsorship from rally driver Maxine Wahome over assault allegations.
Wahome was on Wednesday, December 14, arraigned over alleged assault on her boyfriend, Asad Khan.
According to reports, Khan, a top rally driver, was found unconscious at their shared apartment in Kilimani, Nairobi.
His achilles tendon had reportedly been knifed and he had a lump on his head, Saddique Shaban on Twitter quoted witnesses.
Wahome was arrested on Monday at their apartment after Khan’s brother made a report of an assault to the police.
While appearing before the court, the rally driver said through her lawyer that she is a victim of the assault, arguing that the man hurt himself as he was attacking her.
Her lawyer further argued that investigations are yet to be completed and it was still early to conclude who was the aggressor and the victim.
While Wahome was released on a Ksh 100,000 cash bail, Khan is currently under Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and needs at least five pints of blood, according to his family.
Meanwhile, Safaricom is under pressure from Kenyans to cut ties with Wahome.
In October 2021, the telecommunications company announced an extension of their sponsorship for the rally driver with an additional Ksh 2 million.
The sponsorship was for the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) and other autocross competitions.
In August 2021, Safaricom had also sponsored Maxine during the Voi edition of the KNRC.
In June 2022, Wahome made history after she became the first woman to win a Safari Rally round, using 25 minutes and 27 seconds to finish first in the WRC third-tier class.
She finished 16th overall in the four-day event.
Wahome finished ahead of Jeremy Wahome and Junior Rally driver McRae Kimathi to record an all-Kenyan podium finish in the third tier class.
“I’m proud and I’m happy I made the history. It was a big surprise for me. My goal was to learn the car and by learning the car each day I guess I improved my speed and made it to the first position. Thursday was my first time sitting in the car,” she said at the time.