A 38-year-old mother of six from Kakamega has recounted a harrowing ordeal in which she was allegedly abducted, sexually assaulted by four men and left unconscious in a bush.
Isabella Mati was reportedly at a late-night disco when a neighbour called her outside, allegedly luring her away from the gathering.Photo: Courtesy of NTV Kenya
According to account, she encountered several young men after stepping outside before they allegedly grabbed and strangled her.
Mati said the men then sexually assaulted her in turns before leaving her severely injured and unconscious.
“Four men raped me in turns in the bush and left me for dead,” Isabella Mati recounted.
She was later discovered the following morning, with her family reporting that she had sustained serious genital injuries allegedly caused by a blunt object.
A family member who found her said only her undergarment was visible near the scene.
The relative noted that there was no obvious blood at the location, although blood was later found on Mati’s clothes, raising concerns that the assault may have occurred elsewhere before she was allegedly dumped at the spot.
The family said Mati had been visiting relatives and had been dancing to music before she was called outside by someone she knew.
Those around her reportedly did not immediately suspect that she was in danger.
When questioned about what had happened, Mati allegedly told her family that she had been confronted by a group of young men who restrained and strangled her before assaulting her.
She is currently receiving medical treatment at Cherangany Hospital in Trans Nzoia County.
The incident has sparked concern among women’s rights groups in the region, particularly amid reports of several recent sexual and gender-based violence cases.
Local advocates are calling for urgent action to protect survivors and provide safe shelters for victims who may fear returning to communities where alleged perpetrators remain at large.
The family says the matter was reported to authorities and that the alleged suspects were identified.
However, they claim no arrests had been made by the time of the report.
The family fears Mati could remain at risk if she is forced to return to the village before the suspects are apprehended.