Never again: 3 women arrested for undergoing FGM 'regret horrible experience'

Three women accused of undergoing female genital mutilation in the last week told a Nakuru court on Tuesday that they had a horrible experience.

When they appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Liz Gicheha, they told the court that they regretted agreeing to be cut.

IN PAIN

They said it was a very painful process.

One woman told the court the experience was traumatising as it had left her with serious wounds, which she was still nursing.

“I did not know that the cut was such a bad experience. I only wanted to do it because I heard my colleagues talking about it passionately,” she said.

ADULTHOOD

The second woman, who spoke while uncomfortable and in pain, said she voluntarily agreed to undergo FGM because she knew it was the only way she could be initiated into womanhood.

“I thought it was right because I was told I would become a woman. But I just realised it is a very bad thing because I am in much pain now. I would not wish for anybody else to experience this,” she said.

The woman told the court that she would help mobilise other women in her village to reject FGM.

The third woman said she decided agreed to the cut so that other women would not discriminate against her.

“I decided to undergo the cut after my fellow women refused to listen to me claiming that I was still a kid since I was not circumcised. I however regret engaging in it because I am really suffering,” she said.

FGM

The three were arrested on Monday at dawn and were accused of agreeing to the cut at a house in Tebeswet Village, Njoro, Nakuru County.

A man, who was arrested alongside the three women, was charged with facilitating FGM by providing premises for the cut to be performed on the women.

The prosecution said he is the owner of the house.

While denying the charges, the man said he did not give consent to the activity as he was not around when the women were being cut.

One of the women who was cut is his wife.

POLICE RAID

Police raided the house and arrested the four after acting on information from members of the public.

According to the police, five women were cut on Thursday last week while one was cut on Saturday.

During the crackdown, three other women and the person administering the cut escaped.

The magistrate put the women under a one-week probation to allow them mobilise their colleagues against engaging in the outlawed act.

The house owner was released on a bond of Sh100,000.

The case will be mentioned on December 6.