Government officers accused of colluding with sexual offenders against children

Kabarnet,

Sunday, January 28, 2024

KNA by Benson Kelio

Civil society groups in Baringo County are decrying what they termed as the rise of deliberate efforts by a section of government officers to defeat justice for sexual offences against children.

The groups’ chairperson Isaiah Biwott said they have received numerous complaints from some residents who lamented that they have been obstructed from getting justice for their children who were victims of the offences especially defilement and sodomy.

Speaking to the press in Kabarnet town on Friday, Biwott decried that Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases in the county was on the rise due to corrupt practices by some officials from the National Registration Bureau and Civil Registration Departments, the Judiciary and the National Police Service.

He mentioned a very unfortunate incident where a 15-year old minor in a defilement case was issued with an identity card two months after the occurrence to appear like she had attained the consent age.

“We have evidence of serious cases where in some instances some officers especially those in Civil Registration and National Registration of Persons have issued documents to deliberately bangle cases of defilement in the court,” said Biwott.

The human rights activist who confirmed possessing a copy of the minor’s new identity card argued that the sex pests were probably using the trick to bangle court cases.

“As civil societies, we can’t keep quiet when the departments mandated to protect the rights of children are turning against them,” Biwott said.

Biwott also cited a latest case in which a sodomy suspect was released on lenient bail terms on the first day of taking plea by a Kabarnet court.

He urged the County Directorate of Criminal Investigations to dig deep into the matter and expose the whole chain of participants so that they could face the full force of the law.

Nancy Kiptoo,, a crusader from Baringo Social Justice Desk said that it was disturbing to learn of such injustices against innocent children who ended up dropping out of school due to psychological challenges.

“I am not happy at all because we have learnt about over five cases of injustices against children in our county which is so heartbreaking,” she said.

Kiptoo demanded for security of all the victims of defilement, sodomy and rape in the county adding that some of them were being threatened not to speak out as the assailants continue to torture them in silence.

Baringo human rights consortium chair Bishop William Kitilit while condemning the unfortunate events in the county called for zero tolerance on the perpetrators of Gender Based Violence.

“If a suspect has been arrested, he or she should follow the due process of law and not taking shortcuts because they are not above the law,” he said.

Kitilit who reiterated calls for speedy investigations on the matter challenged the County Education Department in collaboration with respective institutions’ Parent Teachers Associations (PTA) to often visit schools and enhance safeguard measures for learners.

Courtesy;KNA