Police in Gatundu North subcounty are hunting for three men who brutalised, gang-raped and sodomised a woman in Kang'oo village at the weekend.
Residents are still trying to come to terms with the horrific ordeal the woman went through in the hands of rapists.
On Monday, irate women held protests in the village demanding justice for the victim and enhancement of security, which they said has deteriorated in the past few months.
The victim is a mother of three and lives alone. On Saturday at 2am, three attackers broke into her house, hit her in the head with a blunt object knocking her unconscious and dragged her to a nearby shamba where they raped and sodomised her in turns.
Neighbours said her husband lives in Nairobi with one of their children, while one of their daughters is married. The third child, a boy, died sometimes back.
Resident Ann Njeri, who could not hold back tears on Monday when she spoke to journalists, said the victim confided in her what transpired.
She said the woman told her that after the rape ordeal, the assailants dragged her from the scene and dumped her in a bush.
“They thought she was dead when they dumped her in the bush. She regained consciousness at around 5am and managed to drag herself from the bush to a nappier grass farm nearby, despite the unbearable pain she was going through,” Njeri said.
The resident said the attackers were not yet done with the victim as one of them, armed with a panga, came back shortly after she managed to move from where they had left her.
“She told me that she watched from her hiding place as the man, whose face was covered with a piece of cloth searched the bush. The man was probably there to finish the job,” she said.
Njeri said the following morning, neighbours followed a trail of blood and found her innerwear at the spot where she had been raped.
Resident Faith Ngure said after learning what the woman had gone through, residents mobilised funds and rushed her to Gatundu Level 5 Hospital. They also reported the matter to Miteero police post.
“The wounds on her head were stitched and an X-ray on her abdomen revealed extensive damaged. Her uterus was torn, and she required urgent attention. But we lacked enough funds to cater for her treatment,” she said.
Ngure said on Monday morning, the victim’s situation deteriorated and was rushed to Igegania Level 4 Hospital before she was referred to Thika Level 5 Hospital.
“She started turning dark and we suspected she was still bleeding internally,” Ngure said.
At Thika Level 5 Hospital, the hospital said another X-ray on her abdomen and back was required. Residents managed to raise the Sh5,000 needed and by Tuesday afternoon she was receiving treatment at the hospital.
Villagers now want Gatundu North police to expedite investigations and bring the culprits to book. “If the police won’t arrest the criminals, they should allow us to hunt them down and unleash our wrath on them,” resident Theresiah Njeri said.
Gatundu North subcounty police commander Ellen Wanjiku said investigations are going on and they have launched a manhunt for the rapists.
“We will also intensify patrols in the village to beef up security,” Wanjiku said.
Edited by A.N
