Woman blames askaris for her miscarriage

Martha Kibiru says she lost her pregnancy after being mishandled by county officers. [Harun Wathari, Standard]

A 32-year-old woman has claimed she lost her pregnancy after she was assaulted by county enforcement officers.

Martha Kibiru said she was four months pregnant when the incident occurred on February 22 at Lake View Estate.

The matter was reported at the Nakuru Central Police Station by her husband, Moses Leparan. 

“The seven who were on duty when the alleged incident happened have been summoned. Investigations have commenced and stern action will be taken against anyone found culpable. The county enforcement officers have a duty to enforce the law and also follow it,” said Paul Githinji, the county chief officer in charge of public service management.

Recalling the events of that day, Ms Kibiru said she had hired two men to remove solid waste from a filled up septic tank at her house.

"The two were preparing the exhauster to empty the septic tank when the county askaris arrived," she said.

Before the men could start working work, she continued, the askaris began to kick and slap her and the workers.

"I pleaded with them but my pleas fell on deaf ears. They arrested me, the two men and a cousin who was visiting," Kibiru said.

The askaris accused them of polluting the environment as they hauled her into a waiting van before driving to the Central Police Station where they were all booked.

"As they pushed me into the county van, a metal bar hit my stomach,” Kibiru said.

While at the Central Police Station, she started experiencing lower abdominal pains radiating to her back, and started bleeding.

A medical report from Al Gadhir Medical Clinic dated February 22 and seen by The Standard indicates that she suffered an incomplete miscarriage.