Man, 30, elopes with girl, 15, nabbed, cries, "it wasn't me"

A 30-year old man was has been arrested cohabiting with a 15-year-old, form three student at Bondeni area in Nakuru County.

The suspect who identified himself as Ouma alias Oludhe was busted in the house with the girl after intense search by members of the girl’s family.

According to the teenager’s mother, only identified as Mwikali, the girl went missing a few days after schools closed, only to be found with a man well-known to her (Mwikali).

“This girl disappeared from home last week. I have been searching for her everywhere, but ironically I found her with a man who was purporting to assist me look for her. I feel betrayed,” narrated Mwikali.

Mwikali, who was addressing the press at Lungalunga chief’s office where the suspect had been summon over the incident, said she stumbled upon the two and alerted locals who assisted her take them to the authorities.

She said the suspected man was a regular customer at his kiosk where she sells chips, adding that it was the betrayal of the highest order for the man to have ‘slept’ with her underage girl.

“I have invested a lot to educate my daughter and I am depending on her. I want her to prosper in life and all I want now is justice to prevail,” she said. In his defense, the suspect denied the claims saying he had not eloped with the girl, and instead turned the heat on the girl accusing her of hiding in his house.

“She sought ‘refuge’ at my house, from her mother, who she claimed beats her unnecessarily,” he said.

Local chief George Ng’ang’a who later took the suspect and the victim together with other witness to record statement at nearby Bondeni police station confirmed the incident, and had no kind words for the suspect.

“I was called by a local leader and informed that a 30-year-old man had been netted with a 15-year-old girl. I rushed to the scene and indeed, I found them there and summoned them to my office, then to police,”said chief.

He said the offence is contrary to the Children Act 2001 which stipulates that all children under the age of 18 are entitled to protection from activities such as sexual exploitation.