Kenyan nurse gets death sentence after botched abortion

A male nurse in Kenya has been sentenced to death after a botched abortion ended the lives of a woman and her unborn child.

Clinic owner and nurse Jackson Namunya Tali testified that Christine Atieno had asked for his help after a botched abortion.

She died in his vehicle as he drove her to another hospital for advanced treatment.

But Judge Nicholas Ombija said the nurse had killed two people and the death sentence was the only one available in law.

The ruling has reignited the debate over abortion in Kenya, which is only legal there if the pregnancy is deemed by a medical professional to be endangering the mother’s health.

The law had previously stated that abortion could only be performed if a woman’s life was endangered, and whereas three doctors were previously needed to approve the procedure, rules have been relaxed so that only one doctor’s consent is needed.

However, in most Kenyan communities, abortion is regarded as a taboo and individuals involved can be branded murderers.

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