Kericho woman rep says defilement cases on the rise

Kericho Woman Rep Hellen Chepkwony addresses residents of Kericho Town She has decried rising cases of defilement and called for tougher penalties on those found concealing such incidents. PHOTO | TIMOTHY KEMEI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • She said those who reach out-of-court settlements should be punished for abetting crime.
  • She said her office would assist young women who have been defiled to lodge cases in court.
  • She urged victims to report such matters to her office if they were scared of approaching the police.

Kericho County Woman Representative Hellen Chepkwony has expressed concerns over rising cases of defilement in the county that go unreported to and has called on security agencies to deal with those involved.

Mrs Chepkwony said it is “highly unfortunate” that most defilement cases have failed to reach the courts because parents of the victims of the heinous acts are bribed to reach out-of-court settlements with the defilers.

She said such habits should be discouraged and that those who reach out-of-court settlements should be punished for abetting crime.

She noted that defilement has destroyed the future of many children.

PUNISH DEFILERS

“I am appalled that at this age and time, a parent can accept money, even as little as Sh10,000 and purport to forgive a person who has defiled a young child and conceal the crime. This is illegal and those involved must be punished heavily,” said Mrs Chepkwony.

She said her office would assist young women who have been defiled to lodge cases in court against those involved and urged victims to report such matters to her office if they were scared of approaching the police.

She also called on courts heavily punish those found guilty as a means of deterring others from engaging in similar crimes.

Mrs Chepkwony further expressed worry that most women in Kericho do not go for cancer screening despite there being state-of-the-art mammography machines at the Kericho County Referral Hospital and Kapkatet Sub-County Hospital.

She called on more government institutions and NGOs to help raise awareness on the importance of early cancer detection through frequent screening.