Former Eastleigh North police station commander (OCS) Rebbecca Njeri Muraya, with her junior sergeant Abdisalam Ahmed, on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, pleaded not guilty to charges of torture after ordering the arrest and detention of Ayni Hussein Mahammud.
In the first charge, the two are accused of arresting and torturing Ayni Hussein on December 31, 2021, with an intent to intimidate her from pursuing her complaint of assault against one Abdihakim Saidi Jama, contrary to section 4(a) (III) as read with section 5(1) of the prevention of torture Act Cap 88.
“Being police officers within the National Police Service on 31st December 2021 at Eastleigh North Police station, intentionally and unlawfully jointly ordered the arrest of Ayni Hussein Mahammud and detained her at Muthaiga police station for two days,” part of the charge sheet read.
In the second charge, the two are accused of abuse of office for unlawfully and without any sufficient cause and reason by arresting and detaining Ayni Hussein at Muthaiga police station contrary to section 10(1) as read with section 102 of the Penal Code.
“On December 31, 2021, at Eastleigh North police station within Starehe Sub County in Nairobi County, you unlawfully and without any sufficient cause and reason arrested Ayni Hussein Mahammud and detained her at Muthaiga police station,” part of the charge sheet read.
Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina ruled that the police officers will remain free on a bond of Ksh500, 000 which they had deposited in 2024, when they were first arraigned in court.
The two police officers were arraigned in court after they refused to arrest Abdihakim Saidi Jama when Ayni reported that he had assaulted her.
However, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) took over the case and arraigned Jama at the Makadara Law Courts, where he was charged, convicted and fined Ksh100,000 for assaulting Ayni.
On April 15, 2025, Ayni Hussein, a United Kingdom national, reached out to Chief Magistrate Onyina through a letter complaining that the court had delayed the prosecution of the two officers.
He urged the magistrate to ensure that the matter proceeds for her to get justice, stating that she is ready to present her evidence to support the prosecution.
The matter will be mentioned on April 25, 2025, for further directions.