Student who disappeared from a Lamu school returns home

Lamu Police Station where parents of a student who had been missing after she sneaked out of school reported that she has resurfaced. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The girl was reported to have sneaked out of the school compound during a power outage on Saturday night.
  • She is said to have borrowed a phone shortly after succeeding to sneak from the school which she used to call her boyfriend.
  • The girl told the police that she ran away from the school following frustrations by one of her teachers.

The Form Three student who had been reported missing from Lamu Girls High School in Lamu Old Town five days ago has been found.

The 17-year-old student showed up at their home in Heshima village in Mpeketoni on Tuesday, escorted by a relative.

Lamu County Commissioner Irungu Macharia said the student returned home early Wednesday morning, adding that her parents had already recorded a statement with the police at the Lamu Police Station.

The girl was reported to have sneaked out of the school compound during a power outage on Saturday night.

FRUSTRATIONS

Mr Macharia told the Nation that the girl explained to the police that she ran away from the school following frustrations by one of her teachers who claimed she had cheated in her end of term exams.

She is said to have borrowed a phone shortly after succeeding to sneak from the school which she used to call her boyfriend.

“The missing student has indeed been found. According to reports, the girl says she escaped from school citing frustration from one of the teachers. She says she had performed well in English and Kiswahili end term exams but one of her teachers accused her of having cheated and threatened to expose her. In a bid to evade the repercussions, she decided to sneak out of the school. Having escaped from school that Saturday night, she used someone's phone to call her boyfriend. They met but the following day, the boyfriend urged her to go to her home in Mpeketoni,” said Mr Macharia.

WITH RELATIVE

The county commissioner said the girl arrived in Mpeketoni on Sunday.

“She didn’t go to her home but preferred to go to the relative's home as she feared her parents. Investigations are ongoing,” said Mr Macharia.

The student’s mother also confirmed that her daughter had been found and is safe.

She said she escorted her daughter to the school but was told to wait at home until the school’s board of management sits to decide on the fate of the girl, probably next year after the schools reopen for first term.

“I am currently at home in Mpeketoni. I arrived here this morning. I have the girl with me. We spent the whole of Tuesday moving from office to office recording statements after my daughter resurfaced. We even went to the school but I was informed that my daughter has a case to answer concerning issues to do with exam cheating. We were told to go back home. There will be a board meeting to decide on the fate of my daughter. I pray that they forgive her so that her studies aren’t not interrupted,” said the mother.

Her father said his daughter is the only one in high school as the rest of the children are still young and in primary school.

“As a family, we have high hopes in her. We pray that all will be well with her,” said the girl's father.