Man held for ‘beating girl to death’

By Michael Chepkwony

Police in Kapsabet have arrested a man who confessed to battering his 14-year-old daughter to death.

The man allegedly attacked the girl on Saturday night after he found her with her boyfriend.

Deputy OCPD Ibrahim Kosi confirmed that Benjamin Kogo had recorded a statement before he was locked up at the Kapsabet Police Station. Mr Kosi said the suspect had gone to the police station on Sunday morning accompanied by a local village elder, Cleophas Rono.

The deputy OCPD said officers visited the scene of the incident at Kingwal village and moved the girl’s body to Kapsabet District Hospital mortuary awaiting post-mortem examination.

The girl was a candidate at Kingwal Primary School.

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Mr Kogo who is in his late 40s told the police he received reports that his daughter had been seen with a certain young man.

In anger, Kogo traced and found them at the boyfriend’s hut, where he forcefully dragged the girl home.

He then beat her before she went to bed with the rest of the children.

“The father claims it was an ordinary punishment and we are yet to uncover the truth,” Kosi told The Standard in his office on Monday.

found dead

On Sunday morning, the girl was found dead in her room prompting the father to go to the village elder who then accompanied him to the police station.

Villagers who got wind of the incident arrived at the home burning with rage and hunted for the suspect.

Kosi condemned the act terming it “brutal”. He said parents should counsel their children.

“There can be no reason for a parent to beat a child to death. The girl was young and should have been counselled by both parents,” he said.