Three women to serve jail terms for subjecting girls to circumcision

Bokayo Hussein (left) one of the three women found guilty of circumcising their daughters, and Diramu Duba Kuli, who pleaded guilty to performing the cut, when they appeared in court in Marsabit on on August 19,2015. They were jailed for between three and six years. PHOTO | KEN BETT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Marsabit Principal Magistrate Boaz Ombewa found the two women guilty on their own plea and sentenced them to serve three years imprisonment.
  • The court heard how the women procured the services of the traditional circumciser to who was paid a circumcision fee of Sh500 for each of the girls.
  • Diramu was arrested for circumcising the underage girls in cooperation with their mothers.

A court in Marsabit has sentenced three women to between three and six years in jail for subjecting young girls to circumcision.

Bokayo Hussein alias Kura Dika and Halima Mohammed were found guilty of subjecting their daughters, aged eight and twelve years respectively, to circumcision in cooperation with the circumciser, Diramu Duba Kuli.

Marsabit Principal Magistrate Boaz Ombewa found the two women guilty on their own plea and sentenced them to serve three years imprisonment.

Bokayo and Halima are to also pay Sh200,000 fine each and in default serve one more year in prison.

Diramu was on the other hand sentenced to serve five years in jail and in addition pay a fine of Sh200,000 and in default serve one year in prison.

The prosecution told the court that the two parents were arrested for aiding their daughters to be cut on August 1, 2015 at Manyatta Shrine in Nagayo Location, Marsabit County.

The court heard how the women procured the services of the traditional circumciser to who was paid a circumcision fee of Sh500 for each of the girls.

Police were later informed of the incident by the area chief who went and arrested the accused persons on August 16 before they were arraigned in court.

The prosecution, led by Dan Mwangangi, further told the court that Diramu was arrested for circumcising the underage girls in cooperation with their mothers.

In mitigation, the accused pleaded for leniency saying they did not know the practice was an offence for it was a traditional practice in the area.

“The offence is rampant and deterrence sentence is called for,’’ ruled Magistrate Ombewa.