Kenya: Woman Assaulted By Briton Barely a Week After Another Was Killed By German Boyfriend

A businesswoman in Mombasa has filed an assault report against a British national, barely weeks after another one was killed by her German boyfriend at an apartment in Mtwapa, Kilifi County.

Ms Rehema Geria, in a report filed at the Nyali Police Station under OB number 15/29/05/2021, claimed that Sean Thomas Dodds assaulted her at her business premises in Nyali, causing her grievous bodily harm.

Ms Geria, who is nursing bite injuries, claimed that the foreigner attacked her while at her business premises after a disagreement.

“He came with more than 13 goons in a truck, forced himself into my business premises, destroyed my property, and carried away some items,” she told the Nation.Africa in an interview.

The woman said the destroyed property was worth over Sh1 million.

“He has been beating and harassing me. Three days before the attack, the foreigner turned violent,” she said

Ms Geria said she met the foreigner in August last year but trouble started this year when he started beating her whenever they disagreed.

At one time, she said, the foreigner accused her of stealing his electronics including an iPad.

The woman has been charged in a Shanzu court with the offense of theft, assault, and handling stolen property.

The charge sheet indicates that she stole from Mr Dodds an iPad and a towel, all valued at Sh11, 000. She is out on Sh30, 000 cash bail.

But in her new report to the police, the woman is accusing the man of assaulting her and destroying her property.

Ms Geria runs a pizza business along Nyali Links Road.

“Mr Dodds just chipped in to help but I financed the business from my own pocket,” she said.

At first, the woman said he had reported the matter to the Mtwapa Police Station but the officers there told her that Mr Dodds was on a tourist visa, hence they could not do anything to him.

“When he attacked me the second time, I decided to report the matter to Nyali Police Station,” she said.

Contacted for comment, Mr Dodds did not tell his side of the story but sent a video of the woman allegedly assaulting him.

He also sent a photo showing him with injuries on the forehead, allegedly inflicted by the woman.

“Ask Ms Geria about the actual assault charge that she has right now before Shanzu court,” he said in a text message.

Nation.Africa learnt that the matter has been referred to the Tourist Police Unit (TPU) for further action.

Genesis for Human Rights Commission, a rights group that accompanied the woman to the police station to record her statement, has called on the police to investigate the matter and take action against the foreigner.

Through its executive director, Caleb Ngwena, the lobby group wants the police to protect Kenyan women against assault by foreigners who come to the country as tourists but end up torturing and even killing the women.

“Ms Geria’s is a typical case of how the inaction by the TPU officers [is] denying justice to Kenyan women who are victims of gender-based violence by some tourists,” Mr Ngwena said

He termed the recent attack on Kenyan women by foreigners, as unfortunate, unacceptable and extremely demeaning to women, whom he said have the rights to equal protection under the law.

Two weeks ago, 24-year-old Cynthia Akinyi was found murdered in her apartment in Mtwapa, where she lived with her German boyfriend, Krabbe Dieter Gunther.

Mr Gunther was also found dead days later before the police could arrest him for interrogation over Ms Akinyi’s death.

Reports from family members and the neighbours showed the woman suffered assault and endured death threats before she was killed.

Ms Akinyi was buried at their home in Rarieda, Siaya County on Saturday.

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