Epileptic girl raped and dumped in ditch

A nine-year-old epileptic girl has been admitted to hospital with serious abdominal injuries after she was defiled and dumped in a culvert in Taita Taveta.

The minor was found by a villager on Tuesday morning after an assistant chief reported her missing three days ago.

Werugha assistant chief Christine Kidagho said she was informed of the missing girl and mobilised the villagers to search for her. She was found her in serious condition in a ditch near a river.

It was not the first time the girl was defiled. Her tormentors were still unknown as she was unable to speak.

“It is unfortunate that the defilers have taken advantage of the little girl since her mother and sister suffer from the same disease and are unable to handle each other,” the assistant chief said.

Mrs Kidagho said the injuries were so serious that the girl could neither sit nor stand on her own.

Initially, villagers raised funds to take her to a childcare centre but she could not be taken in as the centre only catered for persons with physical disability and not those suffering from epilepsy.

Speaking to the Nation in Wundanyi Town, Mrs Kidagho said sexual offences including defilement and incest were on the increase.

Despite reports to the police and the children’s department, little had been done by the children’s officer.

“The officer kept promising to come and assist, but for the two hours we have been at the police station, she has not shown up,” Mrs Kidagho said.

“It is only the police who have assisted us to get clearance to go to hospital as investigations begin,” she said at the police station.

The children’s department should assist the administration and police to deal with the matter but was not, she added.

When contacted, Taita children’s officer, Ms Lena Sitati, said she was busy attending to other important issues at her office.

Wundanyi police boss Isaac Samoei confirmed that investigations were in progress to identify and prosecute the culprits.