This archive report was first published on 12 June 2020.
On Sunday, Mercy Cherono, a 21-year-old mother of one, was allegedly assaulted by a police officer in Olenguruone, Nakuru County. The officer, who was in plain clothes, accused her of breaking into his house and stealing a laptop and clothes. However, Cherono has denied the claims, saying it could be a case of mistaken identity.
According to Cherono, the officer found her relaxing outside her rented house in Olenguruone town and demanded she follow him. They joined a group of people standing by the roadside, and the officer then removed a rope from his motorbike, tied both of her hands, and attached the rope to the motorbike.
Cherono was then dragged for 200 meters as the officer rode the motorbike, stopping only when the crowd intervened. A one-minute, 30-second video clip, which has since gone viral on social media, shows Cherono pleading for mercy as the officer rides the motorbike.
Cherono said the officer hit her leg with a club, demanding to know where she had taken the stolen items. She was later taken to Olenguruone police Station, where some officers suggested she be taken to hospital.
Cherono's mother, Catherine Cherotich, condemned the brutality meted on her daughter, saying the officer should have instead arrested Cherono.
