Rugby players deny rape claims, allege blackmail

Two rugby players accused of raping a woman after attending a party have denied the claims and instead say they are being blackmailed.

While recording statements at Kilimani Police Station in Nairobi, Frank Wanyama and Alex Olaba denied raping Wendy Kemunto.

This comes barely a week after Kemunto, an upcoming musician, posted a series of updates on her Instagram page, accusing the two of violating her.

In her statement to the police, she claims that on February 10, her birthday, she attended a party in Kilimani where the two rugby players were present.

She notes that she only knew one of them and after a night of merry-making, she went home with them.

It was then, she claims, that they took advantage of her inebriated state and raped her repeatedly, refusing to take no for an answer.

Kemunto further says that she went to hospital the next morning, but did not report the incident to the police, not until a test showed she was pregnant.

She says she does not know who among the two sired the child.

This information and the resulting storm on social media saw police summon the two players to record statements on Wednesday, April 4.

Afterwards, they were taken to hospital where samples of their DNA were extracted.

In their statements, the players maintain that sexual contact was consensual.

They further accuse Kemunto of attempting to blackmail them by threatening to publicise the story if she wasn’t paid.

Wanyama’s lawyer, Dennis Ratemo said he could not comment on the case as investigations are ongoing.

A few weeks ago, another woman also accused a rugby player of violating her. Police are still investigating the matter.