Security officers guarding Moi Girls’ High School in Nairobi maintained that there was no rape at the school.
Appearing before the parliamentary committee on Education on Thursday, Lavington Security LTD general manager Felix Chelimo said given the tight security their guards have given the school, there was no way a stranger would have entered the school’s dormitory and rape a student.
“In my opinion, there was no such rape, and we cannot give evidence of any of such incident happening in the school,” Mr Chelimo said.
Two of the guards – Ms Veronica Cherop and Celestine Nafula – who also appeared before the committee, testified that they did not see any stranger inside the compound.
“I was patrolling the school dormitory when I received a call from Veronicah asking if all was well, shortly after I was informed by one of the teachers that a girl had reported to have been raped,” Ms Nafula said.
INCIDENT REPORTED
Former Principal Jael Muriithi however said she cannot speculate on whether there was an alleged rape or not, citing the matter is before the criminal investigations department.
Recounting on the chronology of the events of the day the alleged incident took place, Mrs Muriithi said the students had been engaged in drama festivals the previous day.
The following day at around 5am the students reported to the matron that one girl in Elgon dormitory had been raped.
The matron reached out to the boarding mistresses and the deputy principal, administration. She was informed of the incident by the watchman.
They went to the dormitory and found the raped girl fully dressed and in a different cubical. She was with three other girls fully dressed and had not showered.
TESTS CONDUCTED
The girl was taken to Nairobi Women’s Hospital accompanied by the matron, the school nurse and later joined by the deputy principal.
The father of the girl was also called immediately and joined the team at the hospital.
“The results were announced by the doctor in the presence of the victim, the father, the school matron, the school nurse and the deputy principal.”
However, the father requested for a second opinion at the same hospital and results announced again.
The girl was then taken to back to school, and the father was still not satisfied with the results and wanted further tests done at Mama Lucy Kibaki hospital.
“However, as a school we took a stand and agreed that the girl be taken to Kenyatta hospital and results were also provided by the hospital,” Mrs Muriithi said.
PRESSURE
Even with three tests, the father wanted further tests done by Lancet team.
“After releasing the results, the girl was taken home by her father and uncle who had also joined at Kenyatta hospital,” she said.
Mrs Murithi said the school also released the test reports to the police criminal investigation department.
The former principal said she decided to resign because of pressure and the bad reputation accorded to the school.
“I could not stand seeing the good reputation of the school which I have built over the years being shredded because of an alleged incident,” she said.
Mrs Muriithi said the school was recovering from the fire incident that killed nine in June this year.