Shock of Kibwezi school where girls are sexually abused for fees

But the long distance they had to trek to get to school was another challenge many of them faced, especially the female learners.

Investigations by The Standard have revealed some of the female students in one of the schools in Kibwezi East were subjected to sexual abuse by persons who had fronted themselves as sponsors of their education.

It emerged that what started as a good gesture to take care of the financial needs of the struggling girls, covering their shopping and school fees costs, snowballed into demands of sexual favours in return.

An abused woman covers her face in defence. [Getty Images]

Later, the school offered to accommodate the girl.

"I was put in a makeshift ward in the dormitory where I was getting treated by a nurse from Kyaani Health Centre," she revealed.

The girl's situation worsened and she was taken to Kibwezi sub-county hospital.

Dr Blastus Kakundi, the Kibwezi sub-county hospital medical superintendent said: "On January 31, we received a 15-year-old girl whom we confirmed had been sexually assaulted. We admitted her for evacuation and blood transfusion and later discharged her after becoming stable."

Jane's mother is now seeking justice for her daughter.

But the case of Jane exposed another story of an elderly man who is said to have defiled another student using the payment of her school fees as bait.

Joy said she is on sponsorship but the man who is supporting her had been asking for sexual favours.

"During mid-terms and holidays, he demands that I take results to his home. On several occasions, he attempted to defile me. At one point he carried me to his bed, but I fought him off," Joy said.

She added: "He would tell me of how I had grown more beautiful and he needed to have sex with me to prepare me for parenthood."

And Joy's parents seemed to have resigned to their daughter's fate. "My parents said I have to persevere in the situation as they are unable to settle my school fees."

The third student, it emerged, even dropped out of school after the sponsor withdrew support. This is after she declined sexual overtures.

"The sponsor came in while I was in Form Two and promised to pay my fees. He however gave me conditions. He proposed that I marry him after helping me through the education system," Joyce said.

Her mother told The Standard that the sponsor could request to travel with her daughter to Nairobi to discuss her performance.

"By the time my daughter dropped out of school, she had accrued arrears. I managed to pay only Sh5,000. I started hustling to clear the fee balance," the mother said.

At Kibwezi Police Station, sub-county police boss Peter Maina said they are through with investigations and are now looking for the suspect.

"The case was booked on January 31, 2024, the same day the suspect went into hiding. His last phone signal showed he was at Mtito-Andei township," said Maina.

Efforts to get a comment from the principal were futile as journalists were ejected from the school.

Kibwezi Sub-County Director of Education Joseph Kavisa said: "I do not handle cases that happen outside the school premises. The abortion was committed outside the institution. "For more details, get in touch with the Ministry of Education headquarters."

Teachers from the school revealed an existing web of men who lure girls into sex under the pretext of sponsorship.

"Only girls benefit from the said sponsorships. There is a bright Form Two boy who dropped out of school due to a lack of school fees. No sponsor has come to help him," a teacher told The Standard

In last year's KCSE exams, the said school had 120 candidates. At least 101 students scored D, six had E and one did not sit the tests. This saw candidates stage demos at the school.