Policeman who raped minor held

A policeman who allegedly defiled a 15-year-old girl in Bomet County has been arrested.

Konoin Sub-County Police Commander Alex Shikondi yesterday said the officer was being held at Mogogosiek Police Station and will be arraigned at the Sotik courts.

The girl's family also claimed that the policeman, said to be stationed at Konoin Police Station, had tried to kill the minor and her father.

The policeman was alleged to have taken the girl to the house of a boda boda rider and defiled her on February 10. The girl’s father narrated to The Standard team his harrowing experience when he went to the station to file a report and demand that the officer undergo medical tests.

“When I was informed about the incident, I went to the police station looking for the officer, but he denied that he had defiled my daughter. I challenged him to go to the hospital for DNA and other medical tests and he agreed. He even provided a vehicle,” said the man.

He claimed that the officer tried to kill them by intentionally ramming the car into a tractor. “When we reached Kaptengecha, which is about five kilometres from the police station, the officer drove our vehicle into an oncoming tractor. The impact hurled my daughter out of the vehicle while I suffered a hand injury. The officer came out with slight injuries.”

The girl, a Form Two student, is admitted to AIC Litein Mission Hospital. John Kanyi, a surgeon, said she had suffered a head injury.

“The patient is still unconscious but progressing well in terms of her neurological status, although she is still in the high dependency unit,” Dr Kanyi said.

The doctor said the hospital was not aware of the rape accusations because the girl had been admitted as a road accident victim.

“We are, however, going to talk to the patient’s parents with a view to investigating the claim further. We have a gynaecologist whose services we are going to utilise so that we can have a definite picture of the defilement allegations,” Kanyi said.

The policeman was arrested after leaders complained during a rally at Silibwet that was attended by Deputy President William Ruto.

Demand justice

The Embomos ward representative, Robert Serbai, threatened to lead protests to demand justice for the girl.

“How can a defilement suspect be walking scot-free when a victim has yet to recover? This is laxity by police and we may be forced to protest,” said Mr Serbai.

Mr Shikondi said the policeman would also be charged with reckless driving and causing an accident that injured the victim.

One of the girl's relatives alleged that the officer had a habit of defiling schoolgirls.

“He waylays teenage girls on their way to or from school and entices them with money. He works with boda boda operators to transport the girls to lodgings, where he defiles them.”