Norwegian woman seeks justice over sexual assault, blackmail by city gangs
Kilimani Police Station's main entrance on October 26, 2023.
For almost a month, a Norwegian national has pressed Kilimani Police Station in Nairobi to act on her complaint against a five-man gang that sexually assaulted her at gunpoint.
The victim, whose name has been withheld for legal reasons, had been on holiday in Kenya when she was attacked by the men whom she said were armed with pistols.
After assaulting her, the gang has been blackmailing her with nude photographs.
She filed a report on July 26 saying she was lured into an apartment in the Kilimani area by someone she knew.
There the gang assaulted her and robbed her of cash and a mobile phone.
In her report under OB Number 02/26/07/2024, she says that the men attempted to gang rape her. When she resisted, they sexually assaulted her.
She further alleged that the gang body-shamed her by taking videos and photos of her while she was naked.
The victim says the gang has been blackmailing her and demanding money.
Despite being issued with a P3 Form as required, Kilimani Police Station officers have done nothing.
According to the P3 form, she was sexually assaulted, besides sustaining other injuries.
“They have been taking me in circles without explaining the way forward. The suspects are now threatening and warning me against pursuing the matter which I find weird,” she said.
The victim, through her lawyer Albert Kuloba, has since written a letter of complaint to the Inspector General of Police and Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohammed Amin saying police at Kilimani were reluctant to take action.
“Upon lodging her complaint, she was asked to obtain the P3 Form, which she duly obtained on July 31, 2024. However, our client has further informed us that the police have taken no further action to progress the matter, which is causing her considerable distress,” the letter dated August 16 reads.
Ben Kobia, the Kilimani Sub-County Police Commander, confirmed that the matter had been reported and that investigations were ongoing. He stated that they intend to summon the suspects today, Monday.
“I understand that the matter is under active investigation. We will take the file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for recommendations,” he said when reached for comment.
Her lawyer said that, given the nature and importance of the matter, an update on the status of the investigation, including any steps taken to date and any anticipated action, would be provided within the next seven days.
Police have asked her to report any further threats from the suspects as the investigation continues.
The woman claims she has since learned that the suspects are part of a larger group operating in the Kilimani area, who target people for entrapment and extortion.
Kilimani Police Station has been on the radar for delaying cases. In May, Dorcas Rugut, an Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions directed the officers at the station to immediately arrest and prosecute two brothers including a personal assistant and relative of a Principal Secretary on accusations of assaulting a house girl in Kilimani area.
In a letter to Kilimani Police Station, she ordered them to charge the suspects for assaulting the woman on May 18 this year.
“You are hereby directed to have the suspects charged immediately for the offence of assault causing actual bodily harm contrary to section 215 of the Penal Code,” the ODPP letter read in part.
In recommending the prosecution of the two, the ODPP said there was overwhelming evidence that the duo had deliberately and recklessly assaulted the complainant.
The domestic worker claimed the suspects assaulted, tortured and insulted her under the guise of a family dispute.
They then allegedly forcibly evicted her from the premises and, with the help of her siblings, confiscated her personal belongings.
Immediately after the incident, she sought medical attention at Maria Immaculata Hospital and later reported the matter to Kilimani Police Station, where the case was registered under Occurrence Book (OB) number 38/18/5/2024.
The order comes hours after a group of activists called for the two to be prosecuted. On Friday, the group staged three separate street protests and marched to the offices of the Inspector-General of Police and the ODPP, where they left a memorandum.
The activists and the victim's lawyer, Karen Rono, have accused the PS of interfering in the case.
