The Clinical Officers Council and the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) have absolved a clinical officer in Bomet County of rape allegations that were widely reported in the media, saying independent investigations established that the incident did not occur.
The allegations, which dominated headlines over the weekend, claimed that a clinical officer at Chemaner Health Centre raped a pregnant woman during a routine maternity visit and had been arrested by police.
But KUCO General Secretary, George Gibore, said a joint fact-finding mission by the union and the regulator established that the alleged sexual assault did not happen and that the woman at the centre of the claims has denied being assaulted.
“We moved swiftly together with the council and conducted independent investigations. The clinical officer has not been arrested because there was no such offence committed. The mother herself made it clear that nothing happened, and she was not sexually harassed,” Gibore said.
Speaking at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) during the signing of a recognition agreement between KUCO and the Level 6A facility, Gibore said the clinician had been called to assess the patient after she presented with suspected labour pains, which later turned out to be false labour.
He explained that a routine vaginal examination was conducted before the officer left the room.
The matter, he said, escalated after a person who had accompanied the patient raised an alarm, prompting the patient’s husband to record a statement with police reportedly without consulting his wife.
According to KUCO, the woman was referred for medical examination and no evidence of sexual assault was found.
Gibore said the patient delivered about 24 hours later, adding that the husband has since recanted his statement.
Police in Bomet, he added, confirmed no arrest had been made and that due process, including completion and documentation of a P3 form, had not been concluded.
“When media houses report that someone has been arrested for such a heinous crime when that is not the case, it profiles the individual, the facility, and even the county negatively. We must investigate before publishing such serious claims,” he said.
The initial reports had indicated that the clinical officer was found in a compromising situation with the patient, and that he had been arrested following a complaint.
The story spread rapidly across mainstream and social media platforms, triggering public outrage.
The union maintained that the claims were inaccurate and that the officer has been cleared of wrongdoing.
“We must be careful with what we report. False or premature reporting of serious allegations can cause lasting reputational damage to healthcare professionals and institutions,” he said.
JOOTRH Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Joshua Okise weighed in on the matter, warning against what he termed as growing instances of unverified allegations against health workers circulating online.
Dr Okise cited a recent case at JOOTRH where relatives complained on social media about delayed surgery without first seeking clarification from management.
The CEO disclosed that the patient had low haemoglobin levels and sickle cell disease and had previously undergone two failed hip replacement surgeries elsewhere, necessitating careful preparation before another procedure.
“You cannot take a patient with low haemoglobin to the theatre. Blood transfusions were being done to stabilise the patient. Our doctors needed a multidisciplinary approach and adequate preparation before attempting another surgery,” Dr Okise said.
He said the decision to discharge the patient temporarily was aimed at allowing further preparation and reducing the risk of hospital-acquired infections from prolonged admission.
“This was communicated to the relatives, but what was shared on social media was not accurate. Such reports demoralize our staff who are working tirelessly to save lives,” he said.
The recognition agreement signed between KUCO and JOOTRH is expected to strengthen collaboration between clinical officers and hospital management.
