Police in Mandera have apprehended a man under the suspicions of not only “turning his daughter into his wife” but also “regularly sexually assaulting her”.
Mohamed, a resident of Mandera said to have deserted by his wife for unknown reasons, was arraigned in a local law court on Wednesday for abusing his 16-year-old daughter.
The man, who pleaded not guilty to the three counts leveled against him, asked the court to grant him bond. His plea was rejected.
The presiding Resident Magistrate, Duncan Mtai, asked the accused to give his bond prayer on March 20th when the case will be mentioned.
The accused was remanded at the Mandera GK prison.
The secretary of the local Nyumba Kumi initiative, Deqow Hussein said he intervened in the matter after realising the accused was “sleeping with the minor repeatedly and subjecting her to other wifely duties”.
“I had to call the girl to inquire whether the father was sexually assaulting her, something she confirmed and then I informed the other committee members,” said Hussein.
The culprit was nabbed by police on Tuesday, amid reports that he had been abusing his daughter for the past three months, as they locked themselves in a house on many occasions.
Hussein urged girls in the region to make use of the existing community policing initiative and report errant men found ruining their children’s’ future through early marriage or other forms of sexual abuse.