A 35-year-old man in Narok County, who married an underage girl, held a traditional wedding and splashed photos of his ‘bride’ on Facebook has been arrested.
According to Narok County Children’s Director Pilot Khaemba, the Facebook post of the traditional Maasai wedding that was held at Naikarra Village in Narok West Sub-County, caused a stir on social media, prompting them to report the matter to police, who made the arrest.
“We got a tip off that there is a man who had married an underage girl and posted photos on Facebook. I therefore notified police, who managed to arrest the suspect. The man is said to have dissapeared with the 17-year-old girl, before he organized the ceremony, “said Mr Khaemba.
“He lied to his family and convinced them that the teenager was ready enough for marriage,” added the children officer.
He further disclosed that the girl recently lost her mother and her father.
According to Mr Khaemba, the minor’s elder brother colluded to marry off the minor in a bid to avoid taking her to school.
The incident comes a month after a Narok court sentenced a fifty-year-old man to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to defiling and marrying a ten-year-old girl.
Narok Senior Resident Magistrate Phyllis Shinyanda jailed Saigulu Ololosereka, who admitted defiling a ten-year-old girl and marrying her in violation of the law in 2019.
Mr Khaemba decried the high number of early marriage cases in the area and called for action.
“It is shocking that these culprits no longer fear the government. If you find such people having the courage to post a wedding ceremony with a minor then we are headed in the wrong direction, “said Mr Khaemba.
Most affected areas in Narok include Naikarra,Siana and Leshuta, where girls are married off at tender ages.
The children’s officer also revealed that police have commenced investigations on the relatives of the girl and will soon be arrested and prosecuted.
Cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV)has been on the rise with FGM, teenage pregnancies taking toll on girls in the county. BY DAILY NATION