A 40-year-old Kenyan woman, Esther Wanja Muthoni, has been sentenced to 100 lashes and one year of banishment in Saudi Arabia for having a child outside marriage. The sentence was handed down by a Saudi Arabian court after she gave birth to her child in the kingdom in August 2025. Muthoni, a domestic worker, was not punished for the child’s father, identified only as Mohamud, an Egyptian resident who reportedly left Saudi Arabia after the birth.
Muthoni has been unable to return to Kenya with her youngest child, Abudy, since giving birth. The court’s banishment order, combined with expired travel documents and the need for fresh clearance, has complicated her return. The New York Times, in an investigation, reviewed court documents and interviewed Muthoni to confirm the details of her case.
The case highlights the strict morality laws in Saudi Arabia, which criminalize extramarital relationships and pregnancy outside marriage. Muthoni’s sentence also underscores the challenges faced by migrant workers, particularly women, under the kafala system, which ties their legal status to their employers. The incident has drawn attention to the vulnerability of foreign workers in the kingdom, especially in matters of personal rights and legal protection.
The case is part of a broader pattern of legal and social challenges faced by migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. While the father of the child was not punished, the mother’s sentence reflects the harsh enforcement of moral codes in the country. Muthoni’s situation remains unresolved, with no clear path for her to return to Kenya with her child.
