Confined to a wheelchair permanently for rejecting marriage proposal

Eight years after Joan Lebene, a 32-year-old woman from Marigat in Baringo South, was attacked for rejecting a marriage proposal, her aggressor, 34, has finally been arrested and arraigned for causing Lebene grievous bodily harm.

Lebene, who was 25 years old at the time of attack, declined Ben Kiplimo’s marriage proposal, saying she wanted to concentrate on her studies.

Her response angered Kiplimo, who whipped out a kitchen knife and stabbed her several times, inflicting head and spinal cord injuries on Libene.

For nearly eight years now, Libene has been confined to a wheelchair following that attack which occurred in May 2013.

She says her education was cut short by the attack, as she spent most of her time in hospital.

She now depends on her mother to look after her, including bathing and feeding her.

Libene claims her family has had to sell land, livestock and other property to raise money for her treatment.

On Monday, February 1, 2021 -- after nearly eight years of evading justice -- Libene’s attacker, Ben Limo, was arrested.

Arraigned at the Kabarnet Law Courts on Tuesday, February 2, Limo denied the charges, and was released on Ksh100,000 cash bail.

The victim, Joan, arrived in court and testified, though was often overwhelmed by emotion and pain.

The matter will be heard on February 15, 2021, Principal Magistrate Paul Biwott directed.

Libene has urged well-wishers to help her raise money for treatment.

“I am forced to wear diapers, given I can’t control answering the call of nature,” she said.