A business man from Murang’a county accused of defiling a 12-year-old girl at Weru market in Tharaka Nithi County will remain in police custody until mention of the case on January 17, 2019.
The 35-year-old man by the name Nicholas Kiragu was arrested by Kithangani Location Chief Jamleck Mugambi at a rental house where he is reported to have been living with the primary school girl since Sunday afternoon.
He appeared before Chief Magistrate, John Njoroge and pleaded not guilty to three counts of defilement, indecent act and deliberately infecting the girl with HIV/AIDS while knowing very well that he was infected.
The court was told that Kiragu on diverse dates between December 30, 2018 and January 2, 2019 committed the heinous act on the girl from Kithangani Location in Chuka Igambang’ombe constituency.
The Magistrate directed that a pre-bail report be availed in court during the mention of the case for pre-trial.
The Kithangani chief yesterday raised concern over increasing cases of defilement in the area noting that three have been reported in a span of two months.
He called on parents to take good care of their girls and ensure that they remain in school and warned young men preying on underage girls stressing that those found culpable will face full force of law.
The chief also asked parents and caregivers to always allow law take its course whenever cases occur, arguing that most of them were being swindled into solving the matter at the village level.
By David Mutwiri
