Two former police officers stationed at Eastleigh North Police Station have been charged with unlawfully detaining and torturing a UK national in what prosecutors are calling a “deliberate abuse of state power.”
Former Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Rebecca Njeri Muraya and her junior colleague Abdisalam Ahmed were arraigned before Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina on Wednesday April 16,2025.
The duo where they were formally charged under the Prevention of Torture Act and Penal Code provisions relating to abuse of office.
According to the charge sheet, the pair is accused of unlawfully detaining British national Ayni Hussein Mahammud on December 31, 2021, at Muthaiga Police Station, allegedly to intimidate and silence her after she lodged an assault complaint against one Abdihakim Saidi Jama.
“The accused persons, while acting in their official capacities as officers of the National Police Service, conspired to have the complainant unlawfully arrested and detained without justification,” stated the prosecutor
Mahammud had reported an assault incident involving Jama, but investigators say the officers.
Instead, she was arrested and held for 48 hours in what the prosecution argues was a move to pressure her into dropping the matter.
“The motive behind the illegal detention was clear: to coerce the complainant into silence,” Wambua added. “Such actions are not only illegal but also deeply betray the very oath of the police service.”
Muraya and Ahmed are charged under Section 4(a), as read with Section 5(1) of the Prevention of Torture Act, for acts of torture, and under Section 10(1), as read with Section 102 of the Penal Code, for abuse of office.
The charge sheet claims the officers “unlawfully and without sufficient cause arrested and detained” Mahammud, contrary to legal procedure.
Both Muraya and Ahmed pleaded not guilty and ordered to remain out on a cash bail of Sh500,000, which had been previously deposited in an earlier proceeding.
The matter has been scheduled for mention on April 25, 2025
Following Mahammud’s ordeal, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) took over the investigation.
This led to the eventual arrest and prosecution of Abdihakim Jama at the Makadara Law Courts, where he was found guilty of assault and ordered to pay a Sh100,000 fine.
The outcome of Jama’s case has since raised serious questions about the initial handling of the matter by Eastleigh North Police Station, further compounding concerns about systemic abuse and misconduct within the police ranks.
In a letter dated April 15, 2025, and addressed to Magistrate Onyina, Mahammud appealed for the court’s intervention to prevent further delays in the case.
“It is my respectful plea that you ensure this matter proceeds without further hindrance,” she wrote, “so I may have my day in court and present evidence to support the prosecution in proving the charges preferred against the accused persons.”
Her legal team has also indicated they may seek additional protective measures, citing concerns about witness intimidation and past attempts to derail the case.
Human rights groups have described the trial as a crucial test for Kenya’s ongoing efforts to combat police brutality and impunity, especially in urban centers where vulnerable groups often face systemic injustice.
“This is more than just a trial about two officers,” said James Gikonyo, a legal advisor with the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU).
“It is about showing that no one is above the law, and that police officers must be held accountable for their actions especially when they weaponize the law to harm rather than protect.”
The trial is set to continue later this month, with more witnesses expected to be called, including medical experts, investigating officers, and Mahammud herself.
