Defilement cases in Kakamega linked to drug abuse, illicit brews
Crime scene. Police officers are charged with protecting citizens, but some turn into monsters by defiling girls left in their care.
What you need to know:
- Twenty-five cases are being investigated, while several others have gone unreported, with some parents cashing in on their daughters’ ordeals.
- However, despite the grim situation, the construction of a police station and a child protection unit has signalled a shift in the war on defilement.
The surge in defilement in Matete, Kakamega County, has been linked to illicit brew and bhang peddling.
Matete headquarters is a short distance from the busy Kakamega-Webuye-Eldoret highway.
Sub-county police commander Bamfort Tsurwa, said five to 10 cases of children found in conflict with the law or in need of care and protection, are reported daily.
Twenty-five cases are being investigated, while several others have gone unreported, with some parents cashing in on their daughters’ ordeals.
However, despite the grim situation, the construction of a police station and a child protection unit has signalled a shift in the war on defilement. The child protection unit has been built at a cost of Sh4.6 million by World Vision Kenya to address the risks children face, including when they seek help at police stations.
Police officer on the spot
In Khwisero, a police officer is alleged to have defiled a 16-year-old Form One student at his station.
World Vision Kenya national director Gilbert Kamanga, said the unit will have a big impact.
“The facility will provide an environment conducive to affected children to speak out,” Mr Kamanga said.
On Tuesday, Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera, said brews and drugs had affected education standards, noting that several police stations are ill-equipped to tackle crime.
“It’s sad that as a sub-county, we have not produced even a single student who sat the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exam in 2022 to study medicine. We need to urgently address the issue and ensure our children are among those going for niche courses like medicine and engineering,” said Mr Nabwera.
