Parents irked by delayed justice for girl defiled in a Mwingi school

A family in Kitui County has decried the manner in which a defilement case has been handled.

The parents of the 15-year-old girl say the deputy head teacher defiled the girl. They fear she may not get justice.

The girl is a Standard Seven pupil in Mwingi Central Constituency.

The parents on Thursday said the deputy head teacher may go unpunished following the “messy probe”.

The girl’s father is calling for fresh investigations into the matter that allegedly took place on July 31 at the school compound. It is said to have happened at 5am, seeing as the school has a boarding section. The boarding wing has since been closed after it was found to be operating illegally.

The father said the family is not satisfied with the manner in which the case reported at Mwingi Central police station is being handled.

He further said there was unreasonable delay. The girl was taken to a clinic on August 4 after the alleged defilement and the matter reported at the police station on August 8.

The girl’s father said police did not take record his statement.  

The father said the girl was called by the teacher “for advice” before breaking for the August holiday. He allegedly switched off the lights and committed the crime.

The suspect was arrested and released before taking plea, the father added. He said officers recorded a statement from him as part of the investigations.

“There are clear indicators to defeat justice in the whole case.”

The girl has been pulled out of the school and is yet to be transferred to another.

Her father said a letter from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to the Mwingi OCS on August 15 stated there is little evidence to prosecute.

In the letter, Mwingi senior prosecution counsel Vincent Maina said there are inconsistencies. He cited the complainant’s claim, where she says she was defiled on July 31, but her sister contradicts her, saying the incident was on August 30.

“Secondly, on being confronted by her sister on why she overstayed at the deputy head teacher’s office on July 31, she said they had been praying. That narrative seems to have changed on August 2 when she alleged to have been defiled. Her testimony seems unreliable,” Maina said.