A Nairobi woman, Martha Ochieng, has spoken about the traumatic experience she allegedly went through after being arrested and placed in a cell with male detainees.
Martha claimed her troubles began when she was arrested by a police officer over a traffic-related incident. She was then taken to a police station, where she said officers placed her in a holding cell occupied by men.
According to Martha, she protested the decision and asked to be moved to a separate cell. However, she claimed her requests were ignored despite raising concerns about her safety.
She alleged that some of the male detainees began harassing her and making inappropriate remarks. The situation, she claimed, later escalated into repeated sexual assaults while she remained in custody.
Martha said the alleged incident left her deeply affected both physically and emotionally. She reportedly sought medical care and counselling after eventually leaving the police station.
Her release was reportedly secured after a friend intervened and helped facilitate her freedom. After receiving support, Martha decided to publicly recount what she said happened to her while in custody.
The allegations have raised serious concerns about the treatment and protection of women held in police custody. Kenyan law requires female and male detainees to be kept separately, with all suspects entitled to humane treatment.
Human rights defenders and legal experts have called for investigations into the claims to establish what happened. If the allegations are confirmed, attention could turn to whether officers responsible for Martha’s custody failed to protect her from harm.
Martha said she chose to speak out in the hope that her experience would lead to action and prevent other women from going through similar situations while under police custody.