Police have arrested five people who conspired to aid in the marrying off of a 13-year-old girl at Total Estate in the outskirts of Narok town.
The suitor, 30-year-old Hillary Langat, was seized in the company of four others who were helping him organize the marriage ceremony.
Narok Town Assistant County Commissioner Abdul Galgalo Diba said the residents informed him of the intended marriage and upon storming the house at night, they found the girl being prepared for marriage.
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“The information we have is that the girl was not a willing partner in the marriage and was only being forced by her parents to marry the man who is more than double her age,” said Diba.
The administrator said that the girl, who hails from Mulot, was brought to Narok town a week ago to married off away from the prying eyes of their village mates.
“Their plans have backfired because what they initially thought is that no one will know their intentions when in town where they are little known,” said Diba as he warned those with similar intentions that the long arm of the law will catch up with them.
Speaking during the celebrations to mark the Day of the African Child last month, Narok Chief Magistrate George Wakahiu said defilement cases have been soaring in the county since the Covid-19 pandemic was reported in March this year.
Wakahiu lamented that most of the children affected are between the age of three to 16 years, adding that the culprits are people well known to the children.
“It is rare that you find an outsider defiling a child. The people who live close to the children and are well known to them are the main culprits of defilement,” reiterated Wakahiu.
On Monday, while addressing the country, President Uhuru Kenyatta raised concern over increasing cases of gender-based violence and directed the National Crime Research Center to probe the matter.
President Kenyatta said it is worrying to see the number of teenage pregnancies and violations of children’s rights on the rise.
He appealed to social institutions such as religious institutions to be vigilant and help to put an end to these unfortunate incidents.
