A father and his son have each been sentenced to one year in prison for assaulting a woman over a false claim that she had caused the son’s genitals to disappear in Kilifi County.
In a statement on July 16, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said the two pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm contrary to Section 251 of the Penal Code after attacking the woman over the bizarre allegation.
According to the ODPP, the incident occurred on July 5 at around 5 p.m. in Mdangarani village, Kauma Sub-county, Kilifi County.
The prosecution told the court that the son was walking home from his farm when he met the complainant and the two exchanged greetings.
After the woman asked him whether he was okay, he later claimed he felt a cold sensation running through his body and alleged that the woman, who was wearing a Muslim robe, had caused his genitals to disappear.
He immediately called his father, who rushed to the scene and grabbed the woman.
The father and son then assaulted her while accusing her of making the teenager’s genitals vanish, attracting a crowd that joined in the attack before members of the public intervened and rescued her.
The complainant was taken to Jaribuni Police Post alongside the two accused.
Police later escorted the son to Jaribuni Dispensary, where a medical examination confirmed that his genitals were intact and functioning normally.
The complainant was referred to Kilifi County Hospital for treatment and later issued with a P3 form documenting the injuries she sustained during the assault.
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Court Rejects Pleas for Leniency
In the statement, the ODPP said the father pleaded for leniency, telling the court that his wife was unwell and his children depended on him.
His son, a Grade Nine student, also asked the court to allow him to continue with his education.
However, Principal Prosecution Counsel Nancy Njeru opposed a lighter sentence, arguing that the pair had placed the complainant’s life at great risk.
The prosecution also told the court that mob attacks arising from allegations of witchcraft had become increasingly common at the Coast, leading to deaths and serious injuries.
The court further heard that the complainant, who is the sole breadwinner for her family, was still undergoing treatment after suffering a fractured hand and urinary tract complications resulting from the assault.
In sentencing the pair, Kilifi Principal Magistrate Ivy Wasike said their actions had reinforced a dangerous false narrative that continues to endanger innocent lives and stressed that the courts must deter members of the public from taking the law into their own hands.
“Cases of this nature have caused people to lose their lives, health, and property,” the magistrate said.
The court sentenced each of the accused to one year in prison, effective July 7, 2026.
The magistrate also directed that the complainant continue receiving treatment at Kilifi County Hospital and ordered the Department of Gender to provide her with psychosocial support.
The two were granted 14 days to appeal the conviction and sentence.
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DCI Intensifies Coast Crackdown
The sentencing comes as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) expands investigations into the growing number of mob attacks linked to false “disappearing genitals” claims reported across the Coast region.
Police have so far recorded 19 reported incidents across Kilifi, Kwale and Mombasa counties, with 17 cases already before the courts. Kilifi has the highest number with nine cases, followed by Kwale with seven and Mombasa with three.
According to the DCI, the attacks have already claimed two lives, with pedestrians lynched after being falsely accused of causing the disappearance or shrinking of genital organs through physical contact.
Detectives are reviewing CCTV footage, mobile phone recordings and other forensic evidence to identify everyone involved in the fatal attacks, warning that those found participating in, inciting or encouraging the violence will face murder charges.
The DCI has dismissed the claims as a dangerous hoax, saying investigations conducted jointly with the Ministry of Health found no medical evidence that anyone’s genital organs had disappeared or shrunk.
Authorities believe criminal gangs are exploiting the false claims to create panic and confusion, allowing accomplices to steal from members of the public as crowds gather around the accused.
The agency has also launched a crackdown on individuals spreading false and inflammatory content online, warning that anyone found raising false alarms or inciting violence will face prosecution.
The DCI has urged residents of Kilifi, Kwale and Mombasa counties to remain calm and report suspected crimes to the police instead of resorting to mob justice.
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