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Mugutha village residents in Juja, Kiambu county are reeling in shock after an elderly man attempted to defile a nine-year-old girl.
The man, believed to be above 70 years, is well known to the Grade 3 girl as they are neighbours, and allegedly attempted to commit the act in his home on December 27, 2023.
According to the girl’s mother, who refers to the man as dad due to his age, the suspect invited the minor to his home for a meat treat as it was a festive season, unknown to her the plans he had.
The mother who spoke to journalists at their home on Tuesday, said the man had asked her daughter to hug him twice before giving her the cooked meat, and warned her not to tell her mother.
She said when the girl returned home with the meat, the man called requesting they return the carrier bag that the elderly man had wrapped the meat in.
“He called and asked me why I hadn’t thanked him for the meat and requested that we hand over the carrier bag to him. I sent my daughter to take the bag to ‘Guka’ [grandfather] as she referred to him,” the mother said.
She said upon reaching his home, the man told the minor that he had forgotten to give her soda which was in the house. Overjoyed by the man’s ‘generosity’, the girl followed him inside the house.
“He poured her soda in a glass but she told him to put it in a bottle instead so that she can take it while at home. He did so but while at it, a woman working in the man’s house left to go fetch water,” the mother said.
She said the man seized the chance and grabbed the girl’s hands from behind, pushed her to a couch in the living room and tried to remove her clothes.
“He told my daughter that he’d strangle her if she tried to scream. He managed to remove her clothes but did not penetrate her. Luckily, the woman who had gone to fetch water returned and the man let the minor,” she said.
Once home, the girl started complaining of pains in her back and her private parts and upon interrogation by the mother, the minor revealed that the old man was trying to push ‘a stick-like thing’ in her private parts.
She said she found sperms on her daughters back and clothes.
“I couldn’t believe how the man, a neighbour whom I’ve been calling dad for many years, could hurt my daughter. I wish he had called me, because I’m a grown woman, instead of preying on my child,” the mother said.
The girl was taken to Ruiru Level 4 Hospital where she was examined and given some medication. She was later taken to Nairobi Women’s Hospital on December 31.
A medical examination conducted at Ruiru Level 4 showed that the girl had redness on her privates and had a whitish discharge. However it indicated the hymen was not broken.
The matter was reported to Mugutha police post and booked under OB NO 21/27/12/2023.
The mother is however raising concern over the manner in which police are handling the matter. She said they have failed to arrest the man despite his whereabouts being known, adding that the culprit has already fled to his village home in Murang’a county.
“When I enquired from the police about my case, an officer told me to go look for the man and when I find him I notify them. I feel they might have been compromised by the suspect,” she said.
She also noted that the man has even sent emissaries to bribe her so that she can drop the case.
She appealed to authorities to speed up investigations, arrest and prosecution of the culprit for the sake of her daughter’s justice, noting that she is traumatised and is living in fear despite being counselled.
“My daughter keeps asking me whether ‘Guka’ has been arrested or will he harm her again. She is traumatised. All I want is justice,” she said.
Villagers led by Eunice Njoki, Peter Kamau and elder Kagwi wa Kairia called for speedy arrest and prosecution of the suspect to deter rise of similar crimes.
“We have lived in this village for many years and have never heard of such an incident. We are shocked because the suspect was a respected man and no one would think he could harm such an innocent child. We want him arrested and prosecuted so that he can serve as a lesson to others who would think of perpetrating such a crime,” Kagwi said.
Juja subcounty police commander Michael Mwaura said on phone that the case file has already been presented to the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions, and that police are waiting for directions on how to handle the matter.
BY THE STAR
