Cover up? Officer on the run over claims of defiling minor in custody

Detectives in Kilifi are looking for a police constable who is on the run after allegedly defiling a 14-year-old girl in custody.

An identification parade that was to be conducted on Wednesday at Kijipwa Police Station by a team of officers from Mtwapa Police Station was called off after the officer went missing and switched off his phone. The minor accompanied by a teacher and an officer from a rescue centre were forced to wait for more than four hours but later left in a police vehicle.

More than five police officers were to participate in the identification parade.

The police officer allegedly defiled the minor who was being held at the station and was to be presented to court as a child in need of care and protection.

Kilifi County Criminal Investigating Officer Said Mohamed said they had launched an investigation on the matter.

“Following a complaint by a minor who claims to have been defiled by a person whom she identified as a police officer, investigations have been launched. Right now all efforts are being made to look for him, we have sent a signal out about his disappearance,” said Mohamed.

He added: “The girl was taken to the police station as a child in need of care and protection and was being processed for another case of defilement. But this is still an allegation and if the officer is watching he should give himself up and let the law take its course,” he said.

The minor raised the complaint on Tuesday when she was arraigned before Shanzu Principal Magistrate Diana Mochache.

“She disclosed that she had been defiled by a police officer on Monday night and wondered why the matter was not factored in her charges and that is when this was brought to the attention of the magistrate who made a follow up,” said the source.

Kilifi Child Protection programme officer William Mganga accused Kijipwa police of exposing the girl to danger.

“The girl had been defiled by two men and so she had been taken to the police station so that she could be taken to Court the next day. This is already a mistake because instead of taking her to a rescue centre they decided to keep her at the station and that is when the officer defiled her,” said Mganga.

Saturday Standard established that Kijipwa OCS Victoria Mutuku went and recorded the girl’s statement at the rescue centre she was committed to by the court.