Ni kama ni huyu jamaa alipigwa transfer akapelekwa kwa baruya
[SIZE=6]Policeman in Kilifi accused of defiling 15-year-old girl[/SIZE]
A family from Marereni village in Magarini constituency, Kilifi county is crying for justice after a 15-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a police officer from Marereni police station.
The girl was allegedly assaulted on November 4, as she was leaving work at around 9 o’clock in the evening and was on her way home when she encountered the police officer, according to the girl’s father.
The police officer allegedly ordered the girl to follow him to the police station but instead took her to the Penny Guest House, where she was defiled.
One of the family members claim the girl pleaded with the policeman to visit their home so he could inform them that she had been detained and was being taken to Marereni police station, but he refused.
The girl is said to have raised an alarm while at the guest house, prompting people to come to her aid.
The parents of the victim reported to the Marereni police station as she continues to be cared for in a children’s shelter.
This comes as similar cases continue to be reported across the country.
On January 18, a 16-year-old girl was allegedly defiled by a DCI officer working out of the Marereni Police Station. Court proceedings in relation to the case are ongoing.
Last week, activists against gender-based violence and human rights from Kilifi County’s Magarini sub-County took to the streets to protest the rise in incidents of police misconduct.
They demanded the prosecution of two police officers from Marereni Police station accused of defiling minors in the two distinct incidents.
Ama ni huyu
A police officer accused of defiling a girl in a Kijipwa Police station cell is yet to be arrested.
It was a double tragedy for the 14-year-old girl after the officer allegedly raped her on September 24. She was at the station to seek justice after she was defiled by another man. The first suspect was nabbed.
A group of Kilifi women plan protests to demand the officer’s arrest.
On Tuesday, Kilifi woman representative Getrude Mbeyu and Shimo la Tewa MCA Sammy Ndago warned the police against protecting a rape suspect. Mbeyu expressed concern that the officer is still free a month after the crime was reported.
“I’ll personally go to that station to make sure the officer is arrested. The child went there to seek justice and instead an officer defiled her. This is wrong and the police must take action,” she said.
Ndago said the officer is enjoying protection from his colleagues.
“If it was a leader or any other person, several police Land Cruisers would have surrounded his home the very day the act was committed. But because he is a police officer, he is walking free,” he said.
But Kilifi county police commander Fredrick Ochieng’ dismissed claims they are protecting the officer. He said action has been taken and they are waiting for DNA results for prosecution to begin.
“The child was taken to the police as a victim in need of protection. Another man, who was arrested, had defiled her. When she was taken to the courts, she told the magistrate she had also been defiled by a police officer,” he said.
“The matter was brought to our attention and we organised an identification parade for all officers who were on duty that night. The exercise was to be conducted on September 26, but one of the officers was absent, so we could not do it.”
Ochieng’ said the officer absented himself from work soon after the reports came out. He resurfaced eight days later and was identified by the victim.
“We organised another identification parade immediately he returned and the minor identified him. We took DNA samples from both the girl and the officer. We are currently waiting for the results from the Government Chemist,” he said.
The commander said they have already taken disciplinary measures against the officer for skipping work.
“We are waiting for the results so we forward the file to the DPP for guidance. We took action from the day the matter was brought to our attention. We opened an inquiry file and if the DPP will recommend prosecution, then the case will proceed to court,” Ochieng’ said.