Woman raped by officer after seeking help at police station

A court in Lamu has found a police officer guilty of raping a woman.

Police Constable Rodgers Ouma, 32, committed the offense in his house at Lamu Police Lines in Langoni on December 8, 2019.

Lamu Principal Magistrate Allan Temba also found Ouma guilty of abuse of his position of authority as a police officer.

The court heard that the victim, a 26-year-old woman, went to Lamu Police Station at 8pm on the fateful night to report that her husband was forcing her to take abortion pills to terminate an unplanned pregnancy.

After recording her complaint, Ouma promised to help her.

As she was about to leave the police station, there was a heavy downpour and Ouma asked her to take cover in his house.

When she was in his house, Ouma locked the door, grabbed her phone and tuned it off.

He forced himself on her and threatened to kill her using a knife.

The victim managed to escape and spent the night in a neighbour's house. She could not go back to her house because she left her keys and mobile phone in Ouma’s house.

The following morning, she reported the matter to Lamu OCS. 

Investigators recovered the victim’s belongings from Ouma's house and arrested him promptly.

A medical examination showed that the woman had indeed been raped.

While delivering the judgment on Wednesday, Mr Temba said the court had rejected the policeman’s defense that it was a set up, noting that he was the one who trailed and lured her to his quarters with a promise to intervene against her husband.

“The DPP has established beyond any reasonable doubt that the accused person committed the offense of rape after obtaining the consent of the complainant by means of threats and intimidation.

“PC Rodgers Ouma also abused his position as a police officer to commit the sexual offense against the complainant,” said Mr Temba.

The policeman will be sentenced on Friday.