Uproar after woman arrested over social media post, mother dragged from school
Police in Nakuru are on the spotlight over the arrest of a woman and harassment of her mother following a social media post.
May Jerono, who was arrested and taken to Kitale from Nakuru before being released, says the kind of ordeal she and her mother went through at the hands of the police is torturous.
Census Ruto, a primary school teacher in Nakuru, is visibly disturbed after going through an ordeal at the hands of police who stormed Athinai Primary School, ejecting her from class in front of pupils before forcing her to sit on the floor in the presence of her colleagues.
The reason, a social media post allegedly shared by her 33-year-old daughter, May Jerono, on her Facebook page.
“Walikuja ndani ya shule na kuni harass vibaya mbele ya wanafunzi wangu na walimu… walininyanganya ata simu nilikuwa nayo kwa nguvu… I was just shocked and asked why all these wanasema nitajulia mbele,” says Ms. Ruto.
The ordeal did not stop at the primary school. She was taken to Kaptembwo Police Station for charges she was not aware of.
“Kufika police station, kidogo msichana wangu akaingia, wakaanza kukataa ata tusiongee na msichana… ata kwa nyumba yake waliransack kila mahali,” she narrates.
Speaking through her lawyer, Jerono claims that plain clothes officers picked her up without a clear explanation and later proceeded to her family home where they allegedly harassed her mother.
Her lawyer says the arrest was unprocedural and an attempt to intimidate her over her freedom of expression, saying the post in question did not amount to a criminal offence.
The family maintains that the incident has caused them emotional distress and is calling for investigations into the conduct of the officers involved.
The incident has sparked debate online, with a section of Kenyans raising concerns over alleged misuse of authority and the limits of social media regulation.
“Mimi my only worry is, on Monday I will be going back to school, watoto watanichukulia aje?” Ms. Ruto wonders
