Sixteen arrested over Nairobi female motorist sexual assault
Nairobi area Traffic commandant Joshua Omukata addressing the media over an incident where Boda Boda riders sexually assaulted a female motorist last Friday.
Sixteen boda boda riders have been arrested and five motorbikes impounded over the sexual assault of a female motorist along Nairobi's Wangari Maathai road last Friday, Nairobi Area Traffic Commandant Joshua Omukata has said.
Speaking to the media outside his office, Mr Omukata revealed that the 32-year-old victim made a police report over the incident on Monday, and a team of detectives made the arrests thereafter.
"The suspects are currently being detained at the Parklands police station in Nairobi, awaiting arraignment upon completion of investigations," he said.
Mr Omukata said that the incident happened at the junction of Barabara Tano road and Professor Wangari Maathai road at around 5 pm.
The victim had hit a pedestrian, and before she could process what had happened, was surrounded by angry boda boda riders.
"She attempted to drive away from the scene but the dozens of motorcycle riders blocked her, forced themselves into the car and sexually assaulted her as seen in the video", Mr Omukata said.
He added; “Our officers on duty were not far away and rushed to save the victim. One of our officers drove her away from the scene where she was being accosted.”
So traumatised was the victim that she could not record her statement with the police on the day of the crime, the Nairobi traffic police boss said.
“This is a very ugly incident and we are asking the boda boda riders to stop this madness. It is so inhumane, and more so, when it is a female motorist being accosted and harassed,” Mr Omukata said.
Police said they are still understanding an operation to arrest more suspects involved in the crime.
“We have also been going on with our operations to keep motorcycle riders out of the Nairobi CBD but they have ways of manoeuvring,” he said.
The victim, who was knocked by the accosted motorist was rushed to Kiambu Level Four Hospital where it was established that he had sustained fractures on both his legs.
“He is undergoing treatment and once he is in a position to record a statement, we shall take it to assist us with our investigations,” Mr Omukata said.
Whereas there are good riders in the boda boda sector, the Nairobi traffic boss said there still existed rogue riders in the sector, who he promised to weed out.
