Rugby duo embroiled in rape scandal arrested

Two Kenya Harlequins RFC players mentioned in a gang-rape allegation have been arrested and are being held at the Kilimani Police Station in Nairobi.

Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji had earlier Friday directed the police to apprehend and charge the duo, over two months after they had been accused of the perversion by a female singer.

Detectives had embarked on investigating the matter and submitted the findings to Haji who ordered that the case proceeds to court.

The singer had first posted details of the alleged incident on her Instagram page, saying she had been drugged on the night of her birthday party and lured into a house at the Highrise estate.

It was then, she claims, that they took advantage of her inebriated state and raped her repeatedly, refusing to take no for an answer.

In her revelation, the singer claimed she became pregnant as a result.

“On 10th February 2018 (my birthday) I was raped by two men. I was slipping in and out of consciousness may be due to shock but I was helpless. I couldn’t fight two men who play rugby professionally, obviously they were stronger hence I let them do whatever they wanted to do the whole night,” her series of Insta Stories read.

She shared screenshots of the same on micro-blogging site Twitter and vowed she would be ‘the last victim’ of the two. It raised a social media storm with online users pressing authorities to act on the matter.

In their statements, the players maintain that sexual contact was consensual.

They further accuse Kemunto of attempting to blackmail them by threatening to publicise the story if she wasn’t paid.

Later March, the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) on Monday released a statement stating that it does not condone sexual harassment or any other activity that goes against the spirit of World Rugby Regulation 20.

“The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) has been made aware of reports about alleged sexual misconduct involving a contracted Kenya Sevens player.

“The matter will be reviewed as soon as practicable by the KRU, in line with existing procedures for all contracted players…” an excerpt of the statement read.

The duo will be arraigned in court on Monday.