Justice elusive for Baringo woman blinded by attackers

Donning dark glasses, perhaps to conceal her injuries while struggling to get accustomed to the new lifestyle, she walks slowly with the aid of a white cane.

For her, the fateful night will remain edged in her mind forever, having been left with a permanent disability, with many unanswered questions still lingering on her mind.

For Norah Moiben, 35, a primary school teacher from Poror in Eldama Ravine, Baringo County, a distress call from her ailing sister at 9pm on August 6, 2019, prompted her to walk from her Kabunyony home to Green View estate where her sister lived. A short distance from her house.

While walking along the road, a few metres from the famous Camp David Club in Eldama Ravine town, she was accosted by three men who appeared from a building under construction and strangled her from behind.

“Because it was dark, there were few pedestrians. I walked along the pavement, convinced it was safe because it was just nearly 500 metres from the sub-county police station. Three assailants emerged from a thicket and pounced on my neck from behind. I fainted thereafter,” says Ms Moiben who has just completed her studies at the Meru Teachers Training College.

The assailants, whom she never identified, left her for dead, without taking anything, including money, she says.

Hours later, she woke up to find herself on a bed at Eldama Ravine Sub-County Hospital. She had been rescued by police officers on normal patrol.

What shocked her most was that all her eyes had been gouged out. She was later referred to Nakuru Level Five Hospital for specialised treatment, and was admitted for more than two weeks.

“What I felt was unimaginable... how could someone remove my eyes with no clear explanation. To aggravate the issue, I did not know who they were and why they had to subject me to such a brutal act,” narrates the mother of two.

“Maybe they were people who knew me but during the incident, they never uttered a word, beat or even robbed me of anything.”

Despite numerous attempts by medics at the facility to offer psychotherapy to the tutor, she indicates that she lived in denial. It took her several months to accept her situation of visual impairment.

“The medical bills at the hospital had accumulated to more than Sh100,000, which I could not afford at the time, considering that I had not been employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). Relatives and well-wishers conducted several funds drives to settle the bill,” she notes.

The incident was reported at Eldama the Ravine Police Station, but to date, none has been arrested in connection with the attack.

The distraught mother tells Sunday Nation that though she has now accepted her condition, life has never been the same again because she now relies on people to do things she would previously do by herself, including walking, despite being a single mother of two and a bread winner to her siblings.

“After being discharged from hospital and getting counselling, I started a new life that I was not used to, including learning to use the white cane, braille and other things. It is very hard to cope,” notes Ms Moiben.

Learning braille

Through mobilisation from locals, she got deployment by the TSC last year, at an integrated school in the neighbouring Kericho County and through a trainer, she is still learning how to use braille.

“Although I recorded a statement at the police station, and processed a P3 form two years ago, I have not been informed of any arrests. Maybe there are people who saw me being attacked but decided not to divulge. 

“No one has been linked so far. Whenever I flash back what transpired, I get mentally disturbed and because I have accepted my current situation, I don’t want such thoughts to cross my mind,” she says.

“I am still asking myself many questions because I am yet to know the people who attacked me and their motive, considering that I did not wrong anyone to warrant such treatment to an extent of plugging out my eyes. What I pray for is that one day, however long it takes, the assailants will be arrested and charged in a court of law.”

The primary school teacher says the situation has worsened after her father died recently, forcing her to take the responsibility of providing for her younger siblings.

Eldama Ravine Sub-County Police Commander Maxwell Agoro says the case is still under investigation and they have not made any arrests because the victim did not identify the assailants. He says investigations have also been hampered by the locals who have not cooperated to share information.

“A lengthy interrogation of the victim was done at the time and though her eyes seem to have been plugged out from the sockets by someone who took his or her time, she insisted that she did not identify them, curtailing arrests.

“Despite the challenges, the case is still under investigation and we believe the culprits behind the heinous act will be apprehended, no matter how long it takes,” Mr Agoro says.

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