Saudi court sentences Kenyan domestic worker to 100 lashes for extramarital sex

Dhaka, Bangladesh || Thursday, 12 November 2026 || 27 Kartik 1433

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Saudi court sentences Kenyan domestic worker to 100 lashes for extramarital sex

Published : Thursday, 12 November, 2026 at 11:35 AM, Count : 33

Saudi court sentences Kenyan domestic worker to 100 lashes for extramarital sex

A Saudi court has sentenced a Kenyan domestic worker to 100 lashes after finding her guilty of having sex outside marriage following the birth of her child in the kingdom, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.

Esther Wanja Muthoni became pregnant after a brief relationship with an Egyptian man who has since left Saudi Arabia. She gave birth to a son in August 2025 while working as a domestic worker in the country.

The verdict was delivered in October following several court hearings held over the summer.

According to the report, Muthoni did not have legal representation during the proceedings, although she was provided with a court translator.

She chose not to appeal the verdict, saying she wanted to return to Kenya and reunite with her other children. However, she has been unable to leave Saudi Arabia with her son for more than a year due to the legal proceedings. Her exit documents have also expired.

The court judgment made no mention of any legal action against the child's father, The New York Times reported. It also remains uncertain when the sentence will be carried out.

Following the ruling, Muthoni told the newspaper that she was frightened about whether she would be able to endure the punishment, saying, “I don’t deserve this.”

A 2024 investigation by The Guardian found that several Kenyan single mothers had been abandoned by the fathers of their children over fears of the legal consequences of extramarital relationships in Saudi Arabia.

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