A rescue mission ended in tragedy after a 28-year-old man was killed by the assailants at Kasuku in Ol Joro Orok, Kenya.
John Wanyati Kiarie was reportedly walking home to Gituamba village from Kasuku at 8pm last week, when he heard a distress call from a 13-year-old girl who was being defiled by two men said to be boda boda operators.
Kiarie rushed to rescue her but was hit with metal in the head and died on the way to hospital. The minor, who sustained a cut in the head, is recovering at an Ol Kalou hospital.
Nyandarua Health executive Njenga Mungai said that she is in stable condition and is undergoing counselling.
Nyandarua West subcounty police commander Isaac Ruto, who confirmed the incident said that two suspects, James Kariuki Wangari, 23, and Ken Mungai Mirugi, 20, have been arrested.
The minor mentioned their names after regaining consciousness and police swung into action before they could escape.
“We have taken the statements and locked them up. We are conducting further investigations. The law will take its cause,” he said.
The girl’s mother, who spoke to The Star on Friday, said that her daughter was returning home from her grandmother’s home when the incident occurred. The culprits carried her on a bike but instead of dropping her off at her home, they sped away and took her to a bush near Kasuku playground.
“I was called by residents only to find her bleeding profusely,” she said.
Residents who spoke to the Star said insecurity has increased at Kasuku at an alarming rate despite having a police station and an Administration Police post.
Recently, they said, three women have been raped and some men sodomised.
They accused police of laxity saying the officers only take bribes from alcohol dealers and chewers of miraa and muguka.
The residents on Thursday afternoon cleared the bush where the incident took place.
Meanwhile, Mr Wanyati will be laid to rest on Wednesday, October 2. (LIB)