Police hunt for church elder accused of defiling mentally challenged 13-year-old girl

Police in Nyamira are investigating an alleged defilement case involving a 65 year old church elder and a mentally challenged 13 year old girl from Nyagokiani Primary in North Mugirango Constituency.

The suspect is said to have run away from his home after a botched attempt to settle the matter out of court.

The man is a church deacon and a neighbor to the victim.

The suspect is alleged to have defiled the minor on May 29, 2018 inside his house. It is suspected he lured the girl into his house using three avocados and defiled her before pouring cold water on her private parts.

After the ordeal, the minor walked to her home carrying the three avocados, one having gone bad.

The matter was reported to Ekerenyo Police station and booked under OB number 28/04/06, three days after the incident.

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According to the Post Rape Care form (PRC) serial number 363, the girl was treated at Ekerenyo Sub County Hospital. The form was signed on June 5, 2018 by the examining officer Mr Ezra Mombinya.

In a report by the school head teacher, Alice Moraa which was shared among members of the school Board of Management, the victim was cleaned by her mother but left the clothes intact. The report further says that the suspect cleaned himself using the girl’s dress and knickers.

In her statement, the head teacher says the pupil left school in the evening of the fateful day and never noticed anything weird the following day until the victim’s father  called her on June 2.

“This is the worst case ever in my career as a teacher. It is disheartening that such an old man can defile an innocent heart, a young girl who cannot hurt anybody,” said Ms Moraa.

The victim’s father said the suspect's wife and other church elders tried to intervene to have the matter settled locally.

“The suspect’s wife approached me pleading that we find a way to solve the matter. I couldn’t take such because I was in too much pain.”

Area Assistant Chief Evans Nyangweta confirmed the incident saying the family was reluctant to report the matter.

He said he has a copy of from Ekerenyo police station to have the suspect arrested. “We will do everything possible to have him arrested.”

The chief confirmed that he was investigating several cases in the area of sexual harassment of school going girls. “The main challenge has been on the side of the affected families where parents fail to record statement with the police.”

Seven months ago, the Chief said he arrested one of the victims but the family of the victim refused to record statement with police resulting to the release of the suspect.

At Nyagokiani primary school, the head teacher has a full tray of statements from girls who have been sexually assaulted by well-known members of the community in the last three months.

From the statements, the girls have named individuals majority already married but having in one way or the other been involved in unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

“There are those named more than five times by our girls. I have shared the names with school board of Management and the area Chief. We hope something will be done to avert further defilement cases,” she explained.

An elder in the community, John Basweti told The Standard that for long there has been suspicion that some people are involved in sexual harassment among school going girls.

 “We are ashamed of the recent happenings. Let the government crack the whip on the perpetrators," he said.