Kwale man accused of defiling a class 7 girl in 2020 arraigned

KWALE, Kenya, Mar 24- A man accused of defiling a class seven pupil after luring her into a Villa in Diani, Kwale County, with a promise of assisting her to get a bursary, has been arraigned.

Juma Omar Mwasifa was charged on Wednesday with defilement of the minor following his arrest on Tuesday.

According to a charge sheet seen by Shahidi News, the man is accused of committing the act on September 29, 2020.

He denied the charges and was remanded until March 30, when the case will be mentioned. 

The accused had pretended that he would help her acquire a bursary from Msambweni Constituency Development Fund (CDF) kitty.

He allegedly schemed with a boda-boda rider who is said to have picked the minor from her home in Kwale and handed her over to him.

According to court documents, the minor reported the incident to her parents, but the man is instead accused of threatening the family.

The matter was later reported at Diani police station, but the accused has been evading arrest since then.

The prosecution asked the court to deny him bail pending the testimony of the victim and the mother, who have been listed as prosecution witnesses.

“The accused is well connected and has been evading arrest. We ask this court to deny him bail until such a time when the key witnesses will testify,” said the prosecutor.

On his part, the accused said he has a right to be released on bail and was not a flight risk.

International Justice Mission- Kenya (IJM), an organization that is seeking to combat commercial sexual exploitation of children in the region is representing the minor in court.

IJM opposed the application by the accused to be granted bail, saying there was a likelihood he would abscond.

The lobby group said the accused was also likely to interfere with witnesses since “he is a very influential political figure within Kwale County.”