A man has been arraigned before a Machakos court for allegedly defiling and impregnating his teenage daughter.
The charges said the suspect, John Makau Kyengo, between February 20, 2020 and April 30, 2020 defiled his 17-year old daughter who is a form one student at a local secondary school leading to her pregnancy.
Kyengo, 40, is accused to have committed the offence at Kyai village, Matetani sub location, Kangundo Sub County. The minor is currently three months pregnant.
The court was further told that the man who was arrested last week had been living with the daughter since his wife died some years ago.
He has however denied the charges before Kangundo law court Senior Resident Magistrate Martha Opanga.
The magistrate has directed the accused to remain in custody until June 17, when a Children’s officer is expected to give a report to the court on the girl’s welfare including where she will be housed while her father’s case continues in court.
Last month, Machakos Governor Dr. Alfred Mutua raised alarm over the rising cases of domestic violence being witnessed in the society due to the current Covid-19 pandemic crisis and appealed to families to seek for alternative ways of resolving such conflicts.
The governor, addressing journalists at his office on May 18, while receiving donations from various organizations said cases of spouses battering each other and minors being defiled have become common since the ravages of Covid-19 started taking toll on the country’s economy rendering hundreds of people jobless.
“Let us protect our families and not hurt each other. If you find someone planning to hurt a child intervene immediately and report such a person to the police. Unless we do this, we shall witness a surge in the number of teenage pregnancies in coming months,” he warned.
By Samuel Maina
