Stolen T-shirts and Sh4,000 link minor to girl's murder

The teenager is said to have set the deceased ablaze after having a disagreement with her mother. [File, Standard]

Stolen T-shirts have linked a 17-year-old girl to the murder of a six-year-old girl in 2018, at Kwa Rhonda Slums in Nakuru West Sub-County.

The teenager, who was then 13, is said to have set the deceased ablaze after having a disagreement with her mother over the alleged stolen T-shirts and Sh4,000.

Ms Judy Nyakira, the investigating officer, said the deceased girl was collateral damage in a dispute between the teenager and the girl’s mother that occurred on May 25, 2018. 

Ms Nyakira, said that according to the deceased girl’s mother, whoever had the T-shirts, stole the money and killed the girl.

The teenager, who was put on defence on October 5, last year testified before Nakuru High Court Judge Justice Hillary Chemitei and admitted she was in possession of the T-shirts.

In defence, however, the teenager denied stealing the T-shirts, claiming they were mistakenly placed in her elder sister’s house, where she was staying.

She told the court that she heard rumours that the deceased’s mother had been telling neighbors that she had stolen her T-shirts and Sh4,000.

She claimed that at the time the alleged money was stolen, she was not around, adding that she never went to the woman’s house. 

Further, she died claims that she was behind the girl’s murder, citing that together with her sister, they heard strange noises coming from the woman’s house, only to find a child burning inside and neighbours trying to rescue her. 

However, investigations revealed that at around 2 pm, the teenager, allegedly went to the deceased girl’s home, found three children, ordered one to the ground, tied the girl to a chair, poured paraffin on her and set her ablaze.

Several witnesses testified said the teenager tied the girl’s hands and legs on a chair with a rope.

Dr Titus Ngulungu, a pathologist, testified that the deceased suffered superficial burns classified at 60 per cent burn.

The post-mortem report Ngulungu filed in court indicates that the girl suffered burns on her head, face, lips, scalp, cheeks, limbs and abdomen.

The defence hearing will continue on July 11.