27 nights of terror: Inside the chilling audio diary of teen refugee who recorded her own murder
Gaala Aden Abdi, the 17-year-old refugee girl murdered and her body set on fire for refusing to marry a 55-year-old man in Wajir County.
What you need to know:
- Gaala Aden Abdi's brutal killing sparked outrage, exposing systemic gender-based violence, failed justice, and cultural practices obstructing women’s rights in Kenya.
- Activists and authorities demand justice, condemning the Maslaha system’s interference and urging law enforcement to hold perpetrators accountable.
When Gaala Aden Abdi followed her mother to the Dadaab Refugee Camp, she looked forward to enjoying a peaceful atmosphere devoid of the usual gunshots and insecurity that had become part of her life in Somalia.
Her life would, however, be taken away by people who not only broke the law in the most inhumane manner but also robbed her of the bright future she had envisioned. The 17-year-old was allegedly killed and her body set afire for refusing to marry a 55-year-old man in Wajir County. She was brutally murdered after 27 days of forced marriage.
The minor was from a refugee family in Dadaab. Under the cover of darkness, she was taken from her home in Dagahley camp and transported 150km away to a remote village, Wara Ademasajida in Habaswein, where she met her husband for the first time. When she arrived, she was terrified and refused to be married off, but it was too late. Her defiance resulted in beatings and she was eventually killed.
In a desperate voice recording sent to her mother before she was killed, Gaala recounted how her husband and his relatives were forcing her into submission and exploiting her vulnerability as an underage refugee girl. “... 24 hours I am being beaten ... this is not a man ... I was betrayed to marry this herder ... Why is my face swollen? I do not have a man here ... He gets your support every time ... no one wants to listen to me ... every sunset when I get to that house, I get beaten,” the slain minor says in the voice notes.
On Tuesday last week, she made a call to her mother and stepfather at night. Her voice trembled as she spoke of the imminent danger she faced. But the next call her family received was from a relative — delivering the devastating news: Gaala’s death.
Amina Abdi Nur, the girls’ mother, told journalists how her daughter made a distress call during which she disclosed that she feared for her life. “Late at night when people were coming from night prayer at 10pm, she called saying they had started stabbing her using a knife. She added that they were taking away her phone before everything went silent. At around 2am, I received a call saying my daughter was butchered. They then placed her on a mattress with her bag and burnt her... The Somali knife was collected from the scene,” she said.
Read more: Why femicide continues, and how to end it
The mother named the man who had married her daughter and his relatives who were with the girl after night prayers. She further named the men who took her phone and called her in the evening the day her daughter was murdered. “One of the men called me that same day and told me that my daughter would never come back to the refugee camp and that there was no need for me to see her again. I appeal to security agencies and anybody who can help to get justice for my daughter,” she said, weeping.
According to documents seen by Nation.Africa, medics noted 100 degree burns on her body with open flame and spinal column injury. The body was found lying outside a rental house with burns all over, reads the postmortem form dated March 22. Gaala's clothing had blood and body fluid stains, pointing to the possibility that she might have been killed and her body set ablaze.
Issa Mohamed, a relative of the minor, claimed the suspect had been arrested but later released by the police, much to the dismay of the bereaved family. “All we want is for our daughter to get justice. We want her murderers to be brought to book and face the law for what they did,” Issa told Nation.Africa in a phone interview.
Ibrahim Elmi, from Worthy Vision, an organisation working in the Asal region, took issue with the police for allegedly releasing the suspect after a brief arrest. “What we are seeing is an attempted case of classic cover-up to defeat justice for the girl – which we’ll not accept. There is a lot of laxity from the DCI (Directorate of Criminal Investigations) as we are getting [information] that they have yet to record statements and interrogate all the people involved. We will not rest until justice is served for the girl,” Ibrahim said.
He called for a forensic audit of the girl’s phone, which he says contains evidence that can be instrumental in nailing the culprits, but one he adds has since gone missing. “Her phone needs to be found and a comprehensive forensic audit done as it contains vital evidence. The minor used to record everything that was happening to her and getting the phone will be a major breakthrough in the matter.”
Ibrahim said human rights defenders in the area were alarmed after they got wind that the Mashlah system had been activated to deal with the matter. “We have information that the Maslaha system has been activated and the leaders are set to meet with the families of the suspects to settle the matter out of court. This should not be allowed to happen and we want the culprits to face the law in court.”
Under this system, elders, the perpetrators and their family engage the family of the victim and negotiate an out-of-court settlement. The Maslaha system, prevalent in Northeastern, is blamed for denying survivors of sexual and gender-based violence access to justice.
Wajir County Police Commander John Gichohi told Nation.Africa they were in the early stages of investigations and called for patience. “After the investigations are completed, we shall do what is expected of us in accordance with the law,” he said in an interview, denying that a suspect had been arrested and released by the police.
The inhumane incident has ignited outrage across social media platforms, with many Kenyans calling for justice. The National Gender and Equality Commission described the killing as a horrifying example of GBV and called for urgent action.
“Enough is enough. Child marriages are illegal in Kenya. We call on law enforcement to act swiftly and ensure justice for this young girl. This is not just a crime; it's a violation of human rights, a betrayal of justice, and an alarming reflection of gender-based violence in Kenya," the commission said in a statement.
The Law Society of Kenya, through president Faith Odhiambo, condemned the murder, stressing the need for immediate action. “Another day, another femicide case, another innocent life lost. Have we lost our humanity? Has free will lost its meaning and value in society? Has our Constitution ceased being a manifestation of our national moral fabric? No person, no woman should have to suffer such an untimely death over their discernment and choice?” Faith posted on her X handle.
dmaichuhie@ke.nationmedia.com