Arrests Made in Murder Case of Forced Marriage Victim in Wajir
The tragic murder of a 17-year-old girl has ignited a fierce debate in Kenya regarding child marriages and gender-based violence. The case has prompted widespread condemnation and calls for stricter enforcement of laws protecting children from harmful cultural practices.
Kenyan authorities have arrested three individuals in connection with the crime, including the 55-year-old man whom the girl was allegedly forced to marry. Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga expressed the National Police Service's deep regret over the death, emphasizing the need for communities to abandon harmful cultural practices and allow children to live as children.
The victim, a refugee from Dadaab, was reportedly abducted and forced into marriage in Wajir County. Sources indicate that she was held captive for 27 days before being murdered and her body set on fire. The details emerging from the investigation paint a harrowing picture of the abuse she endured.
A distressing voice recording sent to her mother prior to her death revealed the extent of her suffering. In the recording, the girl described continuous beatings and expressed her fear and desperation. "...24 hours I am being beaten... this is not a man... I was betrayed to marry this herder... Why is my face swollen? I do not have a man here... He gets your support every time... no one wants to listen to me... every sunset when I get to that house, I get beaten," she recounted in the recording.
Her mother shared the chilling final moments of her daughter's life, stating, "Late at night when people were coming from night prayer at 10pm, she called saying they had started stabbing her with a knife. She added that they were taking away her phone before everything went silent. At around 2am, I received a call saying my daughter was butchered."
A subsequent postmortem examination revealed the horrific extent of the violence inflicted upon the girl, including 100-degree burns and injuries to her spinal column. The brutality of the crime has sparked outrage and intensified calls for justice.
