Man shocks court, defends FGM by quoting bible

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BY VINCENT MABATUK

NAKURI: An old man who says he is defending his community’s cultural practices now wants to be enjoined in a case in which his tribesman is accused of allowing his house to host a women circumcision ceremony last year.

The 79-year-old John Arap Koech Thursday appeared before a Nakuru magistrate court in complete Kalenjin traditional regalia and biblical print outs from the book of genesis insisting that God supported female genital mutilation (FGM).

However, he could not succeed given that he had to submit a formal application to be allowed to take part in the criminal case.

The man is expected to make the application when he returns back to court on February 5 when the case will come up for hearing.

This was in case where a man in his 50s is charged before a Nakuru court with inviting eight women at his residents at Teret in Njoro district for the ceremony.

Joseph Kololgei has since appeared before chief magistrate Samuel Mungai and denied the charges prosecution said to have been committed on December 3.

The prosecution said they had no exhibits in court and could not proceed with the case forcing the accused’s lawyer Cheche Olaly to request for another day.

Eight girls that underwent the process were rushed for treatment at the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital after developing complications related to Female Genital Mutilation.

The girls aged between 16 and 20 years had secretly undergone the ritual at Teret area of Mau Narok at night.

Three of them were pregnant while several others had young children and were breastfeeding their children who accompanied them to hospital.

Some of the girls said that they willingly underwent the operation to save their marriages since they already had children.