Policeman pays Sh20,000 to parent for defiling her daughter

Lamu County Women Representative Ruweida Obo.

An incident in which a parent accepted Sh20,000 from a policeman in Kiungu area, Lamu County as compensation after defiling her daughter has sparked uproar among locals and leaders.

The matter has attracted the attention of Lamu Woman Representative, Ruweida Obo, and she is not happy at all. Despite vowing to pick up the case to ensure it ends up in court, the leader has decried the mushrooming of kangaroo courts for defilement and rape cases.

The leader criticised the parent for endorsing her child's assault by taking the money. She also warned other parents in the area against participating in such informal courts to resolve such crimes because doing so worsens the problem.

“Parents need to be firm and resolute when they find out their children have been defiled. They should report offenders to the authorities for prompt action to be taken,” Ruweida said.

Speaking during a function where girls were trained on menstrual hygiene in Mokowe, the legislator also took issue with chiefs for turning a blind eye to victims of child abuse.

“Chiefs who will be at the forefront of reporting cases of defilement and child abuse will be rewarded by me,” Ruweida promised.

Her remarks come in the wake of reports that a HIV Positive 45 year old man defiled a three-year-old girl in Mkomani last Friday but was released on a Sh200,000 cash bail.

Ruweida further said that early marriages that denied the girl child the opportunity to attain proper schooling was also a major problem in Lamu especially among the pastoralist communities.