Five years after the assault of a young woman with albinism in western Kenya, the case has still not reached verdict. Local advocates are calling for a dedicated prosecution unit.
Advocates in western Kenya have warned that a high-profile 2021 assault case involving a young woman with albinism has still not reached verdict five years after it was filed.
Community organisations say chronic delays in prosecuting attacks on people with albinism, including ritual attacks, send a signal that such crimes are not a policing priority. They are calling on the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to establish a dedicated unit handling crimes targeting people with albinism.
A 2024 report compiled by the coalition found that only 9 of the 34 attack cases filed since 2018 had reached conviction, and fewer than half had reached trial.
Government officials reached for comment said resources and case coordination are being reviewed but did not commit to a timeline.
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