The three women at the Nakuru Court. They are charged with undergoing FGM. [Photo: nation.co.ke]
Three women facing charges of undergoing female genital mutilation told a Nakuru Court on Tuesday that the experience was horrible and very painful.
The court heard that the three accused persons, Ms Sharon Chepkoech, Ms Gladys Chebet and Ms Naomi Cherono were arrested on Monday at a house in Tebeswet Village, Njoro, Nakuru County.
The prosecution told the court that a man, Mr Christopher Kipngetich, the owner of the house, who was arrested alongside the three women, was charged with facilitating FGM by providing premises for the cut to be performed on the women.
One of the woman who told the court that she went through with the process because she heard from her colleagues talking about it passionately said the experience was traumatising as it had left her with serious wounds, which she was still nursing.
The second woman who regretted the decision while still in pain told the court that she voluntarily agreed to undergo the cut because she knew it was the only way she could be initiated into womanhood.
The third woman said she went through the process because other women were discriminating against her and calling her a kid.
The man however denied the charges before Senior Principal Magistrate Liz Gicheha saying he did not give consent to the activity as he was not around when the women were being cut as the court heard that one of the women who was cut is his wife.
Magistrate Gicheha put the women under a one-week probation to allow them mobilise their colleagues against engaging in the outlawed act.
The magistrate further ordered that the man be released on a Sh100,000 bond.
The case will be mentioned on December 6.