Locals of Quarry area in Kamwosor trading, Keiyo South sub county have been shaken to their core after the discovery that one of their own, a 42-year-old man, has repeatedly been defiling his two daughters
Andrew Kiprotich Koitie is a casual laborer doing menial jobs. He had an altercation with his wife and has been living with his four daughters all aged below ten years. It is believed that he commenced perpetrating the beastly act on two older ones since the falling out. The duo is aged nine years and six years.
Neighbours got suspicious after they saw one of the minor walking awkwardly and alerted the man’s estranged wife sister to come and check on the children.
“We had also received complaints from a local school where the children attend that one of the girls looked disturbed, withdrawn and always fatigued. I took the initiate and informed the man’s sister in law,” said Priscah Rono, a neighbour.
Their worst fears were confirmed when the girls’ aunt took the children to Kamwosor sub county hospital.“Upon examination by the doctors, two of the girls were confirmed to have been repeatedly defiled for sometime now,” said Mrs Rono.
She said what the man did was a taboo and the man should be banished from society. However, when the man got wind that his sister in-law had brought the children to the hospital he hurriedly went to confront her over meddling in their family affairs warning her against it.
The incident spread like wildfire and attracted furious locals who stormed the hospital baying for the suspects blood. They rounded the man and senselessly beat him up within the hospital precincts
As luck would have it, the pedophile was saved from the mob which was out for blood by the Administration police. Keiyo South OCPD Moses Kanyi said that the suspect is in police custody and the minors have been taken to hospital for medical examination.
“The medical report will inform us of the charges to be preferred on the suspect,” said the OCPD.
The incident got attention of child right advocacy group who condemned the act and warned the vice is on the upward trend. Ledisha Kittony, a family advocate dealing in women and children issues based in Eldoret, regretted breakdown of families and erosion of societal values is largely to blame for the escalating cases of sexual violence against children.
“Children became an easy prey for the sexual perverts because in most cases those who are expected to protect turn against them. Concerted efforts should be put in place to stem the vice,” she said. She also notes that the fight against sexual abuse will not be won if there is still abject poverty and irresponsible drinking in the society saying an empty mind is the devils workshop.