Tigoni police officer, Firidah Muema. [File, Standard]
A week-long search for a school girl who went missing in Ndeiya, Kiambu County, yielded fruits when the local chief and police were tipped off that she was living with an older man.
During the arrest, Firidah Muema, the officer manning the gender desk at Tigoni police station, said she was saddened by the upward trend of child defilement in the area.
“We are getting at least two cases of defilement in a week. It’s sad that the men who should ordinarily be protectors of society – and especially the women – are the perpetrators,” Ms Muema said.
The search for the Nguirubi High School girl had sent villagers into panic until yesterday when Leah Nguhi, the Ndeiya sub-chief, got wind of where the girl was hiding with a 42-year-old man and informed the police.
Officers from Ndeiya police post set an ambush at the man’s milk bar at Boma shopping centre. Following his arrest, police received information that the girl had gone to Ndeiya health centre to seek medical attention.
Police laid another ambush and arrested the girl at the health facility. The two were taken to Ndeiya police post where authorities and the girl’s parents learnt she was pregnant and had been attending a pre-natal check-up at the clinic.
Ms Nguhi, who led a team of officers to arrest the man, said she was “greatly saddened” that the man, who is the girl’s neighbour “would pull such a stunt and plunge the whole village into misery and disrepute.”
“I urge men to stop preying on school girls. There is no dignity in this vice. The man is older than the girl; the girl has no chance of surviving his onslaught. He is taking advantage of the girl’s naivety,” the sub-chief said.
The man was taken to Tigoni Police Station to await processing and arraignment in Limuru on Monday.
The girl was handed over to the gender desk at the same police station. She will undergo a medical examination that officers will use to file a report that will be presented in court.
