Teacher on the run after defiling seven of his pupils in Siaya

SIAYA: Police in Bondo are pursuing a 34-year-old teacher who has allegedly defiled seven of his female pupils at a school, in a remote Lake Victoria Island.

The teacher at Sifu island primary school, is reported to have defiled the girls, who are in Standard one and four in his house on different dates last month.

Confirming the incident to The Standard, area OCPD Mr Paul Kiarie said they have already issued a P3 form to the victims and an arrest warrant has also been issued. "He has gone into hiding but we are hunting for him everywhere," said Mr Kiarie

The teacher is said to have been luring the girls to his house within the school where he sexually abused them.

He fled the school when his colleagues confronted him about the allegations.

According to the school's head teacher Mr Moses Wandhawa, the teacher was last seen in the school more than two weeks ago.

"I have not seen him since August 27 when the issue was reported to my office," said Mr Wandhawa.

The suspect is said to have disappeared from the school compound after he learnt that the Head teacher had called for an urgent staff meeting to discuss the matter.

The suspect is said to have been sending these pupils to his residential house to go bring the books or prepare for him a meal and later follow them to the house and drag them to bed, where he repeatedly defiled them.

"After receiving the complaint from a section of the pupils and teachers, I called the teacher to discuss the matter but denied the allegations," said the head teacher adding that he however admitted to be sending the girls.

However on this day, the head teacher said that teacher had sent one of the children to remove the book that she hidden inside her underwear and when he tried to remove the book from the girl she started shouting- something that attracted other pupils to the scene.

He further stated that the teacher disappeared on the day he called a staff meeting to discuss the matter, adding that they still don’t know his whereabouts.

"I have already written the causality to Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Bondo Unit to stop the salary of the teacher for being absent from school without permission," he disclosed.

When contacted for comment, the area Education Officer Mrs Mary Oichoe said they have conducted their investigations and have already submitted their report to the relevant authority.

"This is a very sad incident and I can confirm to you that the suspect is still at large but he has been interdicted by TSC," said Mrs Oichoe.

Local villagers however said they suspected the teacher could be hiding in one of the beaches with the help of some administrators.

"We suspect he could be enjoying protection from some of the government officials here. He is spending money to buy his freedom even after committing such a heinous offense," said a fisherman who requested anonymity.