Written By Ramadhan Kambi 📝
Calls are increasing to arrest a police officer based at Marereni police station for allegedly defiling a minor.
Kilifi County Gender-Based Violence activists are up in arms over the officer whom they claim is yet to be arrested.
The officer is alleged to have defiled the 16-year-old in January this year but is yet to be arraigned in court ever since.
The matter was reported in police OB number 19/6/01/2022 at 2035 hours.
Reports indicate that the said officer is alleged to have an affair with the mother who used to be called to discipline the girl whenever she messed up at home.
On a material day, it is alleged that the girl had come late home and the mother thought she had gone to meet some boys.
She reportedly called the officer who came at 3 am and drove her to the police station but since the office of the OCPD was closed he took her to the salt firm areas and defiled her.
Efforts by the girl to inform the mother that she had been defiled did not bear fruit as the mother is also having an affair with the cop.
Ever since the matter was reported the GBV activists claim they have been following the case but they have been told the case was taken over by the county Criminal investigation officer who is doing the investigation.
The Chairperson of Malindi GBV network Helda Lameck said currently the girl is in safe custody but very traumatized.
Addressing journalists in Malindi and in the company of other activists she called on the officer to be charged in court for the girl to get justice.
She condemned the inhuman act done by the police officer in January and wondered why action has not been taken up to now in April.
“Wananchi on the ground are asking us why is it that because it is a police officer no action has been taken ever since, they say had it been a common person it would not have lasted three days for an action to be taken against the perpetrator,” she said.
Magarini Sub County Police Commander Daniel Kibio confirmed he was aware of the case but disclosed that it was taken over by DCI Kilifi for investigations to be done from outside the sub-county.
He said they are also waiting for the investigations to be completed by the DCI Kilifi for any further steps to be taken.
“We handed over the case to the DCI Kilifi to avoid any cases of compromise or victimizing anyone handling the case locally so we are also waiting for them to complete the investigations,” he said.
Ustadh Ali Athman from the Malindi GBV network said they have been at the forefront in fighting against the causes of gender-based violence which has led them to drop in Kilifi County due to their efforts.
However, he said they have a case that involves a police officer from Marereni which is making them feel sad because he allegedly defiled a minor, and each time, they question authorities they are told investigations are still going on.
“We are appealing to those authorities in charge to speed up the investigations so as to ensure justice prevails against the minor,” he said.
Last year the Malindi GBV network celebrated the international day for the girl child at Marereni and held sensitization meetings at the police station.
Reports indicate that cases of GBV in Kilifi County have reduced and it’s attributed to the tireless efforts to sensitize people against the menace and ensure perpetrators are brought to book.
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