This archive report was first published on 11 July 2021.
On July 11, 2021, Leila Athman, a Mombasa resident, traveled to Lunga Lunga, Kwale County, to resolve inheritance issues related to her ancestral land.
However, her visit turned into a nightmare when a mob descended upon her, accusing her of being part of a gang that kidnapped adults and stole children for their sexual organs.
"I was so shaken. I tried defending myself, but none of them wanted to hear me out," Ms. Athman recalled. "Thank God for the police who came to my rescue."
Ms. Athman was mercilessly beaten by the mob, with some members claiming she was a man and trying to strip her, while others insisted she was on a mission to kidnap or steal a child.
"I have bruises all over. I was unconscious. I don't remember what happened next, but I found myself in a police station in Shimoni. I was later rushed to the hospital and treated," she said.
Ms. Athman wants her name cleared, the video of the incident pulled down, and the perpetrators brought to book.
"They accused me without proof. They say I'm involved in gouging children's eyes and selling their sexual organs. Those are lies. I want justice. I could have died. Innocent people are dying due to mob justice, it is unfair. Let's stop these heinous acts," she pleaded.
