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Battered to death: Son's heartbreaking tribute to mum who was abused to death
Catherine Njeri displays a copy of her medical assessment report on December 12, 2022 depicting the injuries inflicted on her by her abusive lover.
Apprehensive that her abusive relationship with her partner could end tragically, Catherine Njeri, on November 8, 2022, reported to Maragua Police Station that her life was in danger.
When she was buried on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at her mother’s Mathingira village home in Murang’a South, police were battered in speeches for their lackadaisical treatment of gender-based violence, some suggesting that perhaps Njeri would be alive today had police treated the case seriously.
“We want to make it very clear that Maragua Police station played a big role in the way Njeri’s life ended tragically, for she succumbed on April 2, 2023, to injuries sustained in the abusive relationship and which had been brought to its attention,” said Ms Lilian Kagendo, who spoke on behalf of Njeri’s friends.
In a tribute, her 13-year-old son said: “Mum, your loving heart and compassionate soul was abused brutally but at all times you held your head high, hoping that all will turn out well. It did not and here I stand to bid you goodbye knowing that in angels’ company you dance for you were simply good.”
Njeri had reported under OB number 18 that the man she was living with in Mathare Estate was in the habit of battering, insulting and raping her.
On the day she showed up at the station’s report office, she had several injuries on her face, a red eye and a swollen neck due to what she termed as “effects of the serious abuse I am undergoing in this come-we-stay-relationship”.
She added that the abuses she was suffering had seen her two children aged 12 and nine years run away from her care and were living with relatives.
“The painful thing is that he is the one who moved into my house and I am the one who pays rent … I ask for help to have him leave me and my house so that I can go for my children and move on with our lives without his presence,” she had said in her statement.
The police dilly-dallied in taking action against the suspect despite recording her complaint. Some of the officers allegedly told her that relationships between lovers were best handled by the chiefs and their assistants.
Then-Murang’a South Police boss Alexander Shikondi had told Nation.Africa that the case was being taken seriously and it only required Njeri to furnish the police station with medical reports indicating the abuses.
On November 16, Njeri filed a P3 form at the police station indicating that she had sought medical attention for kicks and blows to her face, neck, back, legs and abdomen.
The report showed she had suffered actual bodily harm and there were signs of depression setting in, and she had been prescribed a variety of drugs that included painkillers, antibiotics and antidepressants.
Still, the police did not move to arrest the suspect.
The burial ceremony of Ms Catherine Njeri at Mathingira village in Murang'a South on April 11, 2023.
On December 12, Njeri sought out Nation.Africa and complained that the police were showing no seriousness in coming to her rescue and she feared that the battering she was experiencing would either kill or maim her.
Police arrested the suspect and he was charged in court on December 22.
He was remanded up to January 5 when the case was to be mentioned.
Njeri then announced that she was no longer willing to go on with the case owing to the high cost of litigation.
She said that filling the P3 form plus medical costs had taken Sh3,000 and as a casual labourer, she could not raise the Sh200 that every visit to the court would cost her, as well as the Sh600 for each court visit for her three witnesses.
On January 11, the charges were formally dropped, the suspect was set free and went on to resume brutalising Njeri.
She complained to her friends that the abuses went on and she even received death threats, but she hoped that she would not die.
Unfortunately, her fears came to pass.
“She had moved into my house on April 1, saying that she felt very weak after the man had raped and battered her the previous night. She said that she was feeling dizzy and wanted to send someone to fetch her children so that she could leave Maragua town for her home village,” said Mr Humphrey Njuguna, in whose home she had sought refuge.
He added that it was his wife who welcomed Njeri into their home and volunteered to go and fetch her children on April 2 so that they could travel to the village.
However, on April 1 at around 10am; Njeri developed difficulties in breathing and fell unconscious. She died while she was being taken to Maragua Level Four Hospital for medical attention. She was declared dead on arrival.
Maragua Assistant County Commissioner Joshua Okello told Nation.Africa: “We were determined to have the suspect prosecuted to win a conviction, but she tied our hands when she withdrew the case under strange excuses.”
He termed Njeri’s death unfortunate. “It gives us critical insights into how we should treat these complaints, even as we urge all those in abusive relationships to be running away for their peace and to pursue justice while in a safer environment.”
