Foreigner held over child trade

By KATHURE MUKURU

MERU, KENYA A New Zealand national is being held at Meru Police Station on suspicion of child trafficking and pornography.

The man, 38, was arrested at a shopping mall in Meru town where he had allegedly taken two Samburu sisters aged 11 and 16 for shopping.

The suspect’s documents indicate he was born in Iran.

He was accompanied by another male adult who is said to have been recruiting the girls.

Imenti North Deputy OCPD Christopher Rotich said the suspect was arrested after a tip-off from police officers in Samburu County after the girls from Ndonyo Wasin village in Wamba Division left with the man, heading to Meru town.

Marriage plan 

The suspect told the police that he was planning to marry the elder girl and had only brought them to Meru for shopping after he got approval from their parents, adding that they were to head back to Samburu.

“I have been in negotiation with the parents who have agreed to marry her off to me and I even paid eight cows and Sh7,500 as part of dowry,” he said.

He further claimed that he was in the process of publishing a book and had come to Kenya to take photographs for his book when he fell in love with the child.

The girls, who only spoke their native language and had to use an interpreter, confirmed that the man had already paid eight cows and was to pay more before marriage.

Rotich said the suspect was under investigation, and the local police had incorporated other relevant departments that include the Anti-Terrorism Unit.