Homa Bay man arrested for marrying Form 2 girl as second wife
Police in Homa Bay have detained a 43-year-old man accused of marrying a 15-year-old girl.
What you need to know:
- The girl was supposed to be in Form Two but failed to report to school in January.
- Her family did not know where she was until Wednesday when she was found at the suspect’s house.
A 15-year-old girl who had dropped out of school at Form One has been rescued from early marriage in Ndhiwa, Homa Bay County.
The student was allegedly living with a 43-year-old man as husband and wife. She is reported to have been his second wife. According to a police report, the she dropped out of school in December last year.
She was supposed to be in Form Two but failed to report to school in January. According to Kajwang’ assistant chief Enos Nyawande, the student had been reported missing. Her family did not know where she was until Wednesday when she was found at the suspect’s house.
Mr Nyawade said concerned neighbours reported to him that the teenager had been spotted at the suspects’ home. “They had stayed together as couples for three months.”
During the arrest, the administrator sought the help of his colleagues from Goyo and Komungu sub-locations. “I asked for backup before we proceeded to the suspect’s home because we got information that he had threatened to attack anyone who tried to take the girl away. We handed him over to security officers at Kobodo police post,” Mr Nyawade said.
It has emerged that the suspect had been married to another woman who failed to report that her husband was living with a teenager. Mr Nyawade believes the woman was afraid of being sent away if she reported the case. She, therefore, chose to accommodate the teenager as her co-wife. Both the suspect and the minor were later taken to Ndhiwa police station where they were detained as investigations continued.
