Governor Nassir and Mother Implicated in Blogger's Gang Rape Investigation

The Mombasa Governor has been involved in a case where four suspects are charged with the rape and abduction of a blogger.

The Shanzu court on Tuesday saw four suspects brought before it, each denying the charges levied against them. Esther Muthoni John (alias Totoo), Violet Adera (alias Vayoo), Abdul Hassan Athman (alias Sindimba), and Haji Babu Ndau Mohamed (alias Achkobe) stand accused of conspiring to commit a felony by abducting the blogger known as BJK on September 12 in the Bamburi Jitegemee area of Kisauni. The case has taken on additional severity with Athman and Mohamed facing separate charges of gang rape and assault against BJK. The prosecution, citing flight risk and potential interference with ongoing investigations, successfully argued against granting bail to the suspects.

Corporal Irene Karuga's testimony reveals that both Governor Nassir and his mother are expected to provide statements to the police. Karuga also highlights intelligence suggesting that high-ranking Mombasa County officials may be aiding some suspects in evading justice, with at least 15 additional individuals believed to be involved in the conspiracy currently being sought by authorities. The incident appears to have been precipitated by BJK's critical TikTok video about Governor Nassir, which sparked social media outrage. According to the prosecution, the victim was lured under false pretenses to a hotel, ostensibly to apologize to the governor.

Instead, BJK claims he was forcibly abducted, threatened, and assaulted in a remote location near a standard gauge railway station. The ordeal reportedly culminated in the victim being left unconscious in a sack in the Mwakirunge area. Police documents indicate that the perpetrators recorded videos of the assault, allegedly using them to blackmail the blogger into silence. The arrest of the two female suspects has drawn scrutiny to police conduct in Kenya, with organizations such as Muslims for Human Rights (Muhuri) expressing concern over the circumstances of their detention and broader issues of law enforcement accountability.

As the case unfolds, investigators are focusing on identifying all involved parties and conducting thorough forensic analysis, particularly given the use of fraudulent identification documents by some suspects. The four individuals will be held in detention until Thursday when the court will decide on their request for release on bail.