By Emmanuel Nduka
A 40-year-old Kenyan woman working as a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced to 100 strokes of the cane and one year of banishment after being convicted of having a child outside marriage.
The woman, identified as Esther Wanja Muthoni, was reportedly handed the sentence last month after a Saudi court found her guilty of engaging in sexual relations outside wedlock, following the birth of her child in August 2025.
According to a report by The New York Times, Muthoni became pregnant after a brief relationship with an Egyptian man identified only as Mohamud, who was also residing in Saudi Arabia at the time. The man subsequently left the kingdom, while court documents did not disclose his surname or indicate whether authorities had taken steps to prosecute him.
Muthoni, who is a mother of five, had secured employment in Saudi Arabia through Maharah Human Resources, a recruitment company that facilitated her work as a domestic worker.
Her ordeal reportedly began after she gave birth in August 2025 at accommodation provided for employees. Following the discovery of the pregnancy by her supervisor, she was taken to a hospital, where police officers questioned her about her marital status and the identity of the child’s father.
After informing the authorities that the child’s father had left the country, Muthoni was subsequently detained by the police.
Her arrest also left her without accommodation, as she lost access to the staff housing provided through her employer and was initially denied a place at a shelter.
With nowhere to go, the Kenyan woman reportedly spent nights at a petrol station alongside other migrant mothers and their children who were awaiting deportation.
Muthoni’s experience has drawn attention to the difficult circumstances confronting thousands of African women employed as domestic workers and caregivers in Saudi Arabia, particularly the vulnerability of unmarried migrant women who become pregnant in a country with strict laws governing sexual relationships outside marriage.
Speaking to The New York Times, Muthoni expressed fears about the punishment awaiting her, saying she was uncertain she could withstand the 100 strokes.
“I am so afraid. I don’t think I can endure those lashes,” she said.
Following the initial media report on her situation, Maharah reportedly provided her with accommodation, while the Kenyan government facilitated the issuance of travel documents to enable her return to Nairobi.
However, despite the arrangements, Muthoni was not permitted to leave Saudi Arabia until the legal proceedings against her were concluded.
The Kenyan woman, who reportedly does not have legal representation, chose not to appeal the judgment, apparently out of concern that doing so could further delay her return home.
Explaining her decision, she said returning to her children was her overriding priority.
“It is the only way that can take me back home to my children,” she told the newspaper.
Her case has raised renewed questions about the protection of migrant workers, the treatment of vulnerable foreign nationals and the challenges faced by African women working in countries with significantly different legal and social frameworks.
