Three women who allegedly assaulted a Norwegian national in Kilimani area in Nairobi county have been charged before a Kibera court.

Fihima Yusuf Abdillahi, Rayan Abukar Ali and Hibo Mohamood Abdullahi were charged that on July 25 at Lenox Apartments in Kilimani area in Dagoretti sub-county, they jointly assaulted Maria Abdisalam Ali and occasioned her bodily harm.

The three appeared before Senior Principal magistrate Samson Temu and denied the charges. They pleaded for lenient bond terms stating that they are innocent. Temu released them on a cash bail of Sh10,000 each.

The case will mentioned on September 3.

Five witnesses have been listed to testify in the case. Their arrests and prosecution came after police launched investigations into reports that a gang of five operating in Kilimani, was luring victims, particularly women, whom they sexually assault and secretly photograph for the purposes of body shaming and extortion.

Complaint letter

Reportedly, one of the victims, a Norwegian national, had written a complaint letter to the Inspector General of Police, stating that the men attempted to gang rape and assault her.

She added that she reported the matter to Kilimani Police Station on July 26.

Maria Abdisalam reported that she was assaulted by three women and two men in an apartment in the Kilimani area of Nairobi and was also robbed of cash and a mobile phone.

In her report, the victim stated that she knew some of the gang members, who have been threatening her to withdraw the complaint she recorded at the station. She added that the two men were armed with pistols.

Abdisalam further alleged that the gang members body-shamed her by taking videos and photos of her while she was naked and have been blackmailing and threatening her, demanding money from her with impunity.

In a letter also copied to the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mohammed Amin, the victim claimed that officers at Kilimani Police Station are reluctant to take action against the suspects, who are known to her.

Abdisalam told the police that she was on holiday in Kenya when she was invited to the house where the incident took place.

She immediately reported the case of robbery with violence, attempted gang rape, and assault causing grievous bodily harm at Kilimani Police Station, which was recorded under Occurrence Book (OB) number 02/26/07/2024.

Similarly, according to the P3 form, Abdisalam was sexually assaulted, among other injuries.