Police in Gitare Gilgil are on the spot over the arrest of a minor who was sexually abused two times by men well known in the area.

In a twist of events, the fifteen-year-old girl has been locked in Gitare police post where she had gone to report the defilement case with the suspect walking scot-free.

There are allegations of bribery in the case with the police now accusing the class eight student of stealing a phone from one of the suspects.

A local leader Jane Wambui said that minor was first abused a month ago and after the arrest, the suspect was released following an out of court settlement.

She added that another man took advantage of the family’s poverty to defile the minor again last week and the issue was reported in Gitare police post.

“The suspect was arrested and later released in unclear circumstances and the police moved in for the girl accusing her of stealing,” she said.

According to a Sakina Mohammed from Lifebloom international an NGO involved in assisting victims of sexual abuse, they had raised the issue with senior police officers.

She accused the junior officers from the police post of trying to intimidate the family so that they could withdraw the case.

“The minor says that the suspect abused her on two occasions and there is medical evidence to back this but police have now turned her into a suspect from been a complainant,” she said.

A senior police officer, however, denied the allegations saying that they were investigating two different cases.

“The minor claims she was defiled while the accused alleges that the girl stole his mobile phone which we have since recovered,” said the officer who declined to be named.

- The Star/ Antony Gitonga