Rape victim living in fear of the police

By VINCENT BARTOO

A woman who was raped and wrongly imprisoned due to police complicity is living under fear following threats by police officers.

Ms Monica Wanjiru, 31, was accosted by an officer from Langas Police Station who threatened her.

"He came to my home in Langas estate and slapped me twice in the face claiming that I had refused to pay rent yet it was a lie.

"He was alone and was not in uniform. I knew it was not about rent when he asked me where I thought my case would end up," she tearfully told The Standard.

Wanjiru’s case file has since been recalled by the Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko. This followed claims of a cover-up by police in a rape incident that led to the victim being locked up and charged instead of the culprits.

Wanjiru’s plight was highlighted by The Standard, including details of how police deliberately disowned her despite rescuing her after the rape. Police charged Wanjiru with giving false information, but Eldoret Resident Magistrate Innocent Maisiba ruled in her favour and set her free while admonishing police for "trying to cover up evil deeds".

Do her harm

Wanjiru said following the incident, she had a friend lock her inside her house at night fearing that the officers would return to harm her.

"And true to my fears, they came back and when they found a padlock on my door, they thought I had fled. I could hear them saying I could run but one day they will find me and finish me," she said.

The Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Eldoret has condemned the action of the police officers. Wanjiru has reported the matter to the Eldoret Central Police Station where deputy OCPD Charles Mutua promised that action would be taken.