A family in Meru County is calling for justice after their 82-year-old grandmother was allegedly assaulted and humiliated by neighbours who accused her of practicing witchcraft in a disturbing incident that has sparked widespread condemnation.
According to an account shared by her granddaughter, Eucabeth Mukami, the elderly woman had left home with her two daughters to attend a social gathering in the neighbourhood when the incident occurred.
Along the way, she reportedly stepped aside and entered a nearby homestead after being directed there to seek assistance.
Moments later, the situation is said to have turned violent. Mukami alleges that individuals within the compound accused the elderly woman of witchcraft and began physically assaulting her.
Her daughters, who had continued ahead, were later alerted that an elderly woman was being attacked nearby. When they rushed back to the scene, they were also allegedly assaulted and chased away. One reportedly sustained injuries to the head and legs during the confrontation.
In further claims, Mukami described the attack as brutal and degrading. She alleged that the suspects dragged her grandmother through cow dung, poured water on her, and continued beating her.
In one of the most disturbing aspects of the incident, the attackers are said to have used a Bible to strike the elderly woman while demanding that she confess to practicing witchcraft.
The assault reportedly left the woman with serious injuries, particularly to her head, before other neighbours and family members intervened and rescued her. She was rushed to a medical facility, where she is currently receiving treatment.
Efforts by the family to engage the alleged perpetrators have reportedly been unsuccessful, as they declined to respond to inquiries.
The matter has since been reported to the police, with the family demanding swift investigations and prosecution of those responsible. Mukami stated that her grandmother remains in pain following the attack and continues to recover from the injuries sustained.
