Wajir gang rape victim to wait longer for justice

The family of a 15-year-old girl who was gang raped by three men in Wajir early this year will have to wait longer for justice after the case was adjourned to August 10.

Wajir Senior Resident Magistrate Amos Makoror on Monday adjourned the case, saying it was the first time the defence team had requested one.

“I give them benefit of doubt given that they have been attending all the hearings since the beginning of the case,” he said.

He, however, said that this was the final time the case would be adjourned.

The victim was raped for three consecutive days in February.

She was later flown to Nairobi for specialised treatment by the County Woman Representative Fatuma Gedi where she stayed for at least three weeks before finally being discharged.

One of the suspects was arrested in Habaswein but his two accomplices fled to Somalia.

The family lawyer said Zacky Odigi the two other suspects were arrested in Kismayu by Somalia authorities but have not been extradited to Kenya.

An attempt by elders to initiate an alternative dispute resolution system (maslaha) failed amid calls for the case to be prosecuted quickly.

Recently, the Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i warned chiefs against using the maslaha system to settle rape cases.