Man fined ‘bride price’ for defiling heifer

By Paul Kariuki

A man in his late 20s was presented with an unusual ‘wife’ — a one-year-old calf he was caught in an unnatural act with.  He will, however, have to pay Sh20,000  in ‘bride price’.

High

The man, popularly known as Ken, is a resident of Amua village in Bahati Constituency, Nakuru County. He had broken into a homestead in Mastoo village in the wee hours of the morning. He had also taken off his clothes, which he piled in a heap on the ground. He was to later leave them behind as he made a blind dash for safety.

The man, whose wife deserted him not long ago and left with their two children, is claimed to have been high on a narcotic substance that night. His act left villagers reeling with shock with women wondering why he would spurn them for the charms of a young heifer.

Donkey

The incident reminded residents of the village of another ‘unmentionable’ incident in which a man had sexual liaison with his donkey.The man would take his donkey with him to the nearby forest in search of firewood. But that was only a ploy to get away from prying eyes.

His bliss ended when he was busted by women who were collecting firewood and bumped into the pair. Shrieking with horror, they asked again and again why he found the donkey more ‘appetising’ yet the village was teeming with many beautiful and unattached women.

Such was the shock that greeted a family who woke to strange noises from the cattle shed. Fearing a wild animal or thief, they armed themselves with an assortment of crude armaments and crept out to investigate the goings on in the cattle boma.But instead of a hyena, or cattle thief, stood a slender figure with beads of sweat coursing down his body.

Both Ken and the family were rooted to the spot; one party surprised at the taboo before their eyes, while the man of the hour was shocked that his dirty little secret was out.

Elders

Then the family charged, but Ken was too quick for them. They couldn’t get hold of his slippery skin and the animal ‘lover’ vanished in the darkness — leaving his clothing behind.The matter was reported to village elders at daybreak. Ken was apprehended but denied the charges, even though the clothes he left behind were not only incriminating but foolproof evidence of his bestiality under the cover of darkness.

‘Bride’

After a few noisy deliberations, stunned and angry villagers marched the ‘bride’ to his home. They found his grandfather and close relatives to whom Ken’s ‘bride introduced and said he no longer needed to go creeping in the dark for a little love.

Henceforth, it would be tethered in the compound as his grandson’s official consort. But because there was nothing for free, he would have to pay Sh20,000 in ‘bride price’ for the  defiled heifer .