Five women from Meru were on Friday, September 6, condemned to three years behind bars for seeking Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) services for themselves.
They were given an alternative of paying a fine of Ksh 200,000 after they pleaded guilty to the offence.
Florence Kiende, Caroline Wanja, Charity Karimi, Winfred Kawira, and Charity Muthoni had been arraigned before Resident Magistrate Evelyne Wachira at Githongo Law Courts.
Daily Nation reported that the five were charged with undergoing the cut at varying dates in July and august of 2019.
During the case, the ODPP presented P3 forms before the court corroborating the occurrence of the incidents.
Kiende, 28, in her defence, while asking for forgiveness, told the court she sought the services after her grandmother advised her that it was in her best interests to do so.
Wanja was arrested after the area chief Titus Kinyua received a tip-off from members of the public after she underwent the cut on August 29, 2019.
According to The Standard, chief Kinyua also arrested Karimi following a tip-off, she is said to have undergone the cut on July 14, 2019.
Muthoni was taken to the Githongo Sub-County Hospital with septic wounds on her private parts where she was arrested after being treated.
Imenti Central Sub-County Commander John Tarus issued a strong warning to women seeking services of FGM practitioners across the county, stating that the practise had no place in today's world.
