Nairobi – Kenyan police arrested a prison
warden accused of raping a female patient in a Covid-19
isolation facility he was meant to be guarding, a police report
said on Friday.
It was the latest in a string of incidents highlighting
substandard conditions at some government-run coronavirus
treatment centres in the East African country.
The attack may add to fears over treatment in government
facilities that health experts have warned may deter Kenyans
from coming forward to be tested for the new coronavirus.
Earlier this year there were several breakouts from
quarantine centre amid bitter complaints about inadequate food,
water and hygiene from those kept inside. In March, authorities
said they were investigating a reported suicide at a quarantine
facility.
The latest incident occurred at a centre in the western
border town of Busia that was guarded by police and prison
officers, according to the police report seen by Reuters. It
said a colleague had noticed the prison officer talking to a
patient, felt uncomfortable and left to alert other officers.
“They heard noise and commotion coming from the women’s
ward,” the report said. "They (officers) rushed there and found
all the patients outside and complaining that the prison officer
was raping the said lady patient.
"Health officers were summoned. The officer has been
disarmed by senior officers from prison and quarantined within
the facility," it said.
Police spokesman Charles Owino had no comment when called
about the incident. The health ministry did not respond to
request for comment.
Kenya has confirmed 12 062 cases of the novel coronavirus
and 222 deaths, according to data from the health ministry.
Complaints of brutality by members of the security forces
are extremely common in Kenya. Last month, the police watchdog
announced it was investigating officers who had tied up a woman
and dragged her behind a motorbike.