Woman stabbed in cheek leaves hospital as husband faces justice
Fatuma Ibrahim (centre) is led by Kenyatta National hospital (KNH) CEO Lily Koros (second left) and Amref Group CEO Dr. Githinji Gitahi (second right) together with family members and KNH staffs on January 16, 2016 when she was discharged after spending 9 days at KNH. Doctors removed a knife that was lodged on her cheek after being stabbed by her husband in Wajir. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE |
What you need to know:
- Evidently, Ms Ibrahim was glad to walk out of Ward 5A in contrast to how she was brought in, bound in a stretcher and writhing in pain.
- Her surgeon, Dr Edwin Rono, said it gave him joy to see Ms Ibrahim on her feet.
- She spoke on Saturday minutes after being discharged from Kenyatta National Hospital.
- The scale of the violence meted out on her was evident on her body as most of her upper front teeth are missing, and she has a scar on her chin, wrist and the spot where the knife struck.
The woman from Wajir who escaped death narrowly after her husband stabbed her in the cheek has finally left hospital nine days after undergoing a life-saving surgery.
“I want to thank God, Amref, Kenyatta National Hospital and the media for helping me. Your actions have saved my life,” said Ms Fatuma Ibrahim, 32.
Evidently, Ms Ibrahim was glad to walk out of Ward 5A in contrast to how she was brought in, bound in a stretcher and writhing in pain.
Her surgeon, Dr Edwin Rono, said it gave him joy to see Ms Ibrahim on her feet.
“She was a patient who Kenyans were hoping would get better, and she did not disappoint.”
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Ms Ibrahim spoke through a translator to express hope that the law would takes its course. She said she has been a victim of domestic violence for “countless times” but would not leave because of her four children.
She spoke on Saturday minutes after being discharged from Kenyatta National Hospital.
The scale of the violence meted out on her was evident on her body as most of her upper front teeth are missing, and she has a scar on her chin, wrist and the spot where the knife struck.
“He has always beaten me up, it is not 10 or 20 times, countless,” Ms Ibrahim said of her husband, Mohamed Dek, who is in custody.
Her husband’s nephew Abduwahab Abdiahmed admitted that Dek had indeed been battering Ms Ibrahim because of “family problems” but the stabbing “really shocked us.”
ASSAULT CASE
Her husband, however, denied stabbing his wife when he appeared in court in Wajir on January 8.
According to Wajir Woman Representative Ms Fatuma Ibrahim Ali, the case of assault will be heard in the courts of law unlike what is customarily expected of such cases, which are resolved by religious leaders.
Referred to as maslaha, this is a traditional form of Islamic law where cases are settled by religious leaders with compensation to the aggrieved.
Ms Ali said: “She will come to testify against him; we will not subject it to maslaha.”
AMREF ASSISTANCE
Ms Ibrahim will stay with her relatives in Eastleigh, Nairobi, for three days before the Amref Flying Doctors fly her back to Wajir and reunite her with her relatives, at no cost, according to Dr Githinji Gitahi, the Chief Executive Officer of Amref Health Africa.
He said: “As Amref, we have written off the about Sh1 million bill for her evacuation, that of her return to Wajir and eventually back to her village.”
According to Dr Gitahi, her hospital bill was paid by the Wajir Women Rep and well-wishers.
Asked what next once in Wajir, Ms Ibrahim said coyly: “I will go back to where my children are.” She spoke through a translator as she only speaks Somali.
Ms Ibrahim was stabbed on Wednesday, January 6, at around 5.30 pm. She was taken to Wajir Referral Hospital at 2 am on January 7.
The attending doctor, Mohammed Hussein, said his team could not have pulled out the knife, as his hospital does not have an intensive care facility.
Her evacuation began at 6 pm on January 7 and she arrived at Wilson Airport at 8 pm from where she was rushed to KNH where she underwent a successful operation.
