Girl, 9, defiled by 40-year-old cobbler in Nyamira

A nine-year-old girl is fighting for her life at Nyamira Referral Hospital after she was reportedly defiled by a man well over her father’s age in Nyamira County.

The 40-year-old suspect allegedly lured the girl into his house and sexually assaulted her. The minor’s mother had sent her to the suspect’s shoe repair shop within their neighbourhood.

It turns out that the alleged defiler is someone well-known to the family. It is on that basis that the victim’s mother trusted and sent her daughter to the man, a neighbour who repairs shoes.

Medical officers at the hospital confirmed that the minor had sustained serious injuries, which included tears that required reconstructive surgery.

“The child is admitted here with serious injuries. She sustained what we call second degree tears and we had to do reconstructive surgery on her genitalia to control and stop bleeding,” said the Medical Officer In-charge, Nyamira Referral hospital, Dr Angella Ogendi.

Lynching

Police in Nyamira County on Sunday arrested the suspect and took him into custody after irate members of the public threatened to lynch him for his alleged beastly act.

The child’s mother said she could not believe that the neighbour that she had known for years, could do that to her child.

“I was called and informed that the child had been assaulted. When I saw her, her clothes were soaked in blood and she was not able to walk. When I asked her what had happened, she told me that our neighbour had done bad things to her,” said the mother.

The mother had sent the child to take her shoes for repair.

“When the child arrived at his shop, he asked her to go to his house. He told her to lead the way so he could catch up with her. He then followed and locked the door before defiling her,” reported a neighbour.

The neighbour said the child came out staggering with blood flowing through her legs.

“It is at this time that we realised the shoe repairer had defiled her.”

Tough action

The mother appealed to the authorities to intervene and have justice served on the suspected culprit.

The incident attracted wide condemnation on social media with West Mugirango Member of Parliament Steve Mogaka, demanding tough action against the suspected culprit.

“My attention has been drawn to a report of a man defiling...... The man in his late 40s, a father figure to his victim, just did a beastly act stinking to the heavens on a nine-year-old girl child,” said Mr Mogaka in a statement.

The legislator said: “It is disheartening that the beast comes from my West Mugirango Constituency. I wish the little angel quick recovery and I assure my constituents of justice to the victim and her family.”

Mr Mogaka hailed the police for their quick action of apprehending the suspect.

“I applaud the police for their swift action of apprehending the offender who has been identified as a cobbler at Sironga bus stage, Bogichora Ward of West Mugirango Constituency. I will personally follow up the matter to put to an end of similar cases that are on the rise in Gusiiland. Acts of this nature should be condemned and rebuked in the strongest terms possible!” said the lawmaker who is also a lawyer.

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