16-year-old boy loses genitals over Sh20 busaa debt he hadn’t settled

A nurse attends to the teen at Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital on Thursday, whose private parts were chopped off in Rongai, Nakuru County. The perpetrators have since been arrested. [Photo: Kipsang Joseph/Standard]

In his book, The Ellison Effect, Avra Amar Filion said that one cannot measure a man by his riches but by the quality of the woman holding his hand. In Rongai, Nakuru County, one 16-year-old boy knew this all too well.

This boy, who we shall call Samson, knew he had only two years left and the law would recognise him as a grown up. This is not the only reason he was eagerly waiting to turn 18. Samson was planning to get married and bring up a family as soon as he acquires an identity card. But before then, he would prove to the world that he was already man enough.

Despite being a school drop out, Samson was determined to make a life for himself at Magate village, Rongai Sub-County. He earned an honest living as a herds boy and in the spirit of acting grown up, he often indulged in drinking busaa, a local brew.

However, one decision would change his live forever. Samson went to drink busaa at a friend’s place but was unable to settle the Sh20 required.  The friends asked him to fetch 20 litres of water for them and they would call it even.

Having got a way out of a rather sticky and embarrassing situation, Samson did as he was asked and the debt was settled. Or so he thought. As soon as he delivered the water, he left for home at around 7pm but the friends accosted him.

“They pounced on me, beat me and dragged me back to their house,” he said from his hospital bed.

The trio tied him to a bed and one of them picked a sharp vegetable knife, undressed him and chopped off his manhood. When this writer interviewed Samson, it was clear that he is yet to come to terms with the brutality meted on him by people he considered friends, last Tuesday.

“This is my first time to nurse serious injuries while admitted in a hospital. Why did my friends, age mates do me injustice that will cost my life forever?” posed the teary boy.

Due to the pain and loss of so much blood, Samson passed out.

“After I regained consciousness, I found myself on a bushy foot path but I could not move,” he said.

He lay there hopeless and in pain until morning when neighbours, who were passing by saw him.

He suspects that after he passed out, his friends-turned tormentors dumped him there.

“I want justice to take its course. I might have wronged them yes, but they could have found a better way of prosecuting me instead of cutting my genitals. This is a life lesson, a painful way to live and a life wound,” he said.

His brother, who is taking care of him in the hospital, got wind of the story and ran to his brother’s rescue.

“I was told by my relatives that my brother’s manhood had been chopped off and was lying on the road unconscious,” he says.

He said the minor has been working for a senior County officer in Nakuru as a herds boy.

“He unfortunately takes illicit alcohol. It is sad, he is forced to lose his manhood at such an age due to his drunkenness,” he said.

He regretted the fact that Samson cannot raise a family.

“This is the last born in a family of four. We expect him to take care of our mother at her old age according to our culture. Here he is, no hope,” said the dejected brother.

Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital Deputy Nursing Officer Edward Muhavi told The Standard that Samson is in a stable condition but a urologist is still observing him and will soon find a way to enable him pass urine. “Unfortunately he will never function as a man,” said Muhavi.

Rongai police boss Joseph Mwamburi said they are still holding the suspects awaiting a full medical report to determine charges against them. The three suspects are Samuel Kamirita, Evans Lang’at Rotich and Geofrey Kamau. Rongai Deputy Commissioner David Kosgei has been forced to conduct barazas to calm raising tension.