A domestic worker has complained that the Personal Assistant to the East Africa Affairs Principal Secretary assaulted her.
On May 18, she recorded a statement at the Kilimani police station in Nairobi and accused Ibrahim Hussein Omar (PA to the PS) and his brother Ali Hussein Omar of assaulting her. Ibrahim is a relative and PA to PS East Africa Affairs Abdi Dubat.
The accused have been flaunting the PS name, saying nothing will happen to them.
In this case, there are claims of interference by the said PS. Despite filling and processing a P3 form, the police confirmed the case at Kilimani but have not yet taken any action.
Karen Rono, a victim’s lawyer, has written to the police, the Public Service Commission, and Kenya Power and Lighting about the situation. The second accuser is a KPLC employee.
The domestic worker’s lawyer, Karen Rono, demanded a comprehensive investigation, the suspension of both Ibrahim and Ali, and an apology to the victim.
“We trust that you will handle this matter with the seriousness it deserves and take all necessary steps to ensure justice for our client. We look forward to your prompt response and the actions taken to address these grave concerns.” She complained that the police have been slow in taking action against the accused.
The lawyer stated that on or about May 18, 2024, Ibrahim Hussein Omar assaulted, tortured, and insulted her client under the guise of a family dispute, accompanied by his brother, Ali Hussein Omar.
Subsequently, they forcibly ejected her from the premises and confiscated her personal belongings with the assistance of their siblings.
“These actions are unequivocally unacceptable and represent a grave violation of our client’s rights. Such conduct is unbecoming of employees of the Public Service Commission and Kenya Power and Lighting Company, respectively, and constitutes a serious breach of both legal and ethical standards expected from public servants.”
“The incident has caused significant emotional distress and reputational harm to our client, necessitating immediate and decisive action,” the letter to KPLC said in part.
In a separate letter to the Public Service Commission and police, the lawyer stated that the accused, Ibrahim, took an unauthorized photograph of the housegirl, verbally abused her, and threatened to publish the photograph, falsely accusing her of murder in the company of his siblings.
He also confiscated her personal belongings and forcibly ejected her from the premises. After my client sought medical attention at Maria Immaculata Hospital, we reported this incident to the Kilimani Police Station under OB Number 38/18/5/2024.
The officer on duty at the Gender-Based Violence Centre at Kilimani Police Station intervened and returned her belongings despite further verbal insults.
A group of activists in Nairobi petitioned the police to arrest the accused person. The activists, who addressed the press at the Jeevanjee Gardens in Nairobi, stated that the alleged incident at Atieno’s house occurred on Saturday, May 18, last week, within the Kilimani area, and they booked the incident at the Kilimani police station.
Her employer’s relatives assaulted her on Saturday, May 18, 2024, causing her trauma and bodily harm. They also confiscated her mobile phone,” said activist Marion Njoroge.
The activists said that Atieno took all necessary steps to report the case at the police station in order to bring the perpetrators to justice. They were disturbed by the matter’s slow nature.
They also called for a speedy intervention from the relevant agencies in the country, including the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
When reached by phone, Kilimani police boss Moss Ndhiwa stated that he had been away and had given the investigating officer instructions to expedite the investigation before making an arrest.
“I will authorise the investigating officer (IO) to speed up with the investigations,” added Ndhiwa.