Moi Girls’ male teachers to undergo DNA test

Parents, guardians, alumni and members of civil society groups demonstrate outside Moi Girls School, Nairobi, yesterday. They called for the transfer of the school's principal Rael Mureithi, citing inefficiency. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

All male teaching and non-teaching staff living in Moi Girls’ School, Nairobi, have been ordered to undergo a DNA test in the ongoing investigation into the last Saturday defilement incident.

Apart from the teachers and workers, their male relatives living within the compound are also required to provide DNA samples.

The investigations are following a Saturday morning incident in which one student was defiled and two others physically assaulted by three men.

Parents, anti-rape crusaders and Moi Girls’ old students yesterday demonstrated against the attack.

The protesters, who were dressed in school uniforms, camped outside the school compound, demanding the resignation of principal Rael Mureithi.

Detectives handling the matter had by yesterday dispatched eight letters to those required to take the test. They included six teachers.

Investigators want to confirm that the attackers were not individuals living within the compound. The letter addressed to the individuals asks them to “consent to DNA sampling procedure”.

“The buccal swab/blood sample for the purpose will be taken from you,” reads the letter in part.

The 15-year-old Form Two student was assaulted and defiled when she went to the washrooms at 2am, Saturday.

The victims are undergoing treatment in hospital.

Spent the night

A team of detectives, who included those from DCI’s forensic department and the government chemist, spent the night at the school compound on Sunday as part of the investigation.

The team, led by Nairobi County Criminal Investigations Officer (CCIO) Nicholas Kamwende, returned to the scene yesterday, even as they concluded that they were yet to establish the motive behind the incident.

The officers interrogated a number of students and teachers, as they looked for clues that would help them unravel the identity of the attackers.

The school administration has also been questioned over the incident, amid claims and counter-claims from various parties.

Kilimani police boss Michael Muchiri assured the protestors that the best detectives were handling the case.

“They will make sure we arrive at a solution. Investigations are taking place and the detectives will ascertain where there are gaps when it comes to security,” Muchiri said.

He asked the public to give the detectives space and assured them that they would be informed of the results when the investigations conclude.

Yusuf Nasir, a representative of the Council of Imams in Kibra, said the perpetrators attacked when the girl went for a meal taken early in the morning by Muslims before fasting.

“This is what she was doing at night together with others, that is the time she was raped,” Nasir said.

He accused the school’s management of trying to cover up the incident, saying the girl’s parents came to know about it 10 hours later.

The school was on Sunday closed for one week after parents stormed in on Saturday evening following reports on the incident.

Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed, who announced the school’s temporary closure, said the Government would conduct a security assessment at the school and use the incident to formulate a security policy for schools countrywide.

In September last year, nine girls were killed when a fire broke out at the school. A student was later arrested and charged with nine counts of murder.

The student denied the charges and was released on bail. The case is ongoing.

The protesters said the defilement and fire incidents were an indication the principal had outlived her usefulness in the school. They sought her immediate transfer. “Just recently we buried close to 10 children from this school because of her inaction. Today, again, we are here, sadly because of another incident,” Nasir said.