• One pastor is accused of killing a 17-year-old Sunday school teacher, his girlfriend, once he learned she was pregnant.
• Courts say the number of cases is increasing as social norms unravel.
Image: FILE
Normally, religious leaders, teachers, elders and parents advise and protect young girls from sexual exploitation.
However, these are far from normal days.
Protectors have turned predators and often the prey doesn't stand a chance.
Increasingly, some religious leaders defile and impregnate young girls.
One pastor is accused of killing a 17-year-old Sunday school teacher, his girlfriend, once he learned she was pregnant.
Some girls have been infected with sexually transmitted diseases, as well.
A check by the Star in various courts across the country shows that from January to May 31 many defilement cases have been reported.
Pastors, Muslim clerics, fathers and grandfathers have been charged or jailed.
Other cases have not been reported as the guardians prefer to solve them by letting the defiler pay them money or livestock in exchange for not pressing charges.
A check by the Star in a few courts indicates the predators no longer care. Girls are sexual prey.
For instance on January 23 this year, a pastor was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment.
He had been accused of enticing the girl with treats when she came to him for advice.
Disturbing cases
On March 16 this year, another pastor of a local P.A.G church was sentenced to life imprisonment for defiling his own daughter in Kilifi.
The court said he violated his sacred trust to provide his daughter with security.
On May 4, an Anglican cleric was found guilty of defiling a minor in Makueni and sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Kilungu law court.
Another pastor was sent to 25 years in prison by a Kitale court on May 24 after he was found guilty of defiling, impregnating and killing a minor to conceal evidence.
On May 18, another pastor was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Kibe but instead defiled her on many occasions.
last month a Muslim cleric from Kibera was charged with defiling and making a girl pregnant. He had been abusing her since 2016. The case is underway
In January a man was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Kibera court for defiling his daughter.
That's just the tip of the iceberg.