Born a transgender and grew up as a boy in Njoro, it never occurred to Stephen Kamotho now a woman by the name Katie Antonina Wanjiku Kamotho that her life would get darks at some point.
Antonina is currently battling a court case for fleeing with a Ksh488,150 bill for Marble Arc Hotel in Nairobi where she stayed for some time but escaped without paying a dime.
She had checked in on December 16, 2020 and was to leave on February, 2021. She asked the manager to extend her stay until March when she would leave and pay Ksh1 million.
According to People Daily, Antonina was a brilliant kid who scored an A – (Minus) in her KCSE and got admitted to the prestigious Nairobi University.
She pursued a degree in Computer Science and worked with the biggest companies after her graduation in 2003. She has worked with Ascribe Kenya, Safaricom PLC, Airtel and Kenya Airways between 2003 and 2015.
According to a report tabled before Milimani Law Courts, Antonina sunk into depression due to status as a transgender which affected her work output. This rendered her jobless as she was fired.
Other firms have shut the doors on giving her a job due to her status, so does the places he has lived. She has been disowned by her family.
“It has also been a challenge for her to live in any place of residence for long due to the above stated reasons,” Probation officer Consolata Makori stated in her court report.
Antonina who lives in Ndenderu told the court that she has medical records proving that she suffers from a depressive disorder.
The probation officer said that that Antonina has been attending counselling sessions.
“Through attending counselling sessions, she has been able to identify some of the causes to her mental illness. She states that the gender crisis and low self-esteem have been the major contributors to her mental illness. In addition, the lack of acceptance by her family members and society at large make matters worse.
“She further explained that discrimination in the job market has also been a major contributor to the deterioration of her mental health,” Makori said.
Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku freed her on Ksh300,000 cash bail but she pleaded for a lower amount of Ksh30,000 which her friend Beatrice Chepchirchir would raise.
Antonina told the court that she has no job, therefore, is not able to raise such an amount of money.
She also pleaded that she be detained at a police station since sending her to Langa’ta Women’s Prison or the Industrial Area Prison Remand would subject her to sexual harassment.
She was remanded at Central Police Station