A woman was remanded at Kisii police station yesterday for allegedly assaulting her stepdaughter by inserting a hot knife in her genitals.
She was charged with causing bodily harm to the nine-year-old. She will be back in court on Thursday to take plea. The court directed that she be taken for mental check-up before the arraignment.
The woman allegedly committed the offence on Sunday night as punishment after the girl allegedly took Sh50 the previous day. The court heard that she tied the girl to a bed. After the assault, she locked her up in a room and left her reeling from pain.
The girl’s father is a boda boda rider. He had left the house before the incident. Chief Wilder Nyaboke warned that such criminal acts will not be tolerated. He urged parents and guardians to take care of their children.
“The young girl spent close to 48 hours writhing in pain because the woman had locked her up in a private room,” Nyaboke said.
“The girl’s father would not bother to know where the girl was when he returned home the following evening. It is prudent for him to have asked, but he did not.”
The father later found out and took the girl to Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital. They live on the outskirts of Kisii town.
County police commander Martin Kibet said the woman will “face the full force of the law”. He appealed to residents to respect and champion children’s rights.
A police report said the girl sustained burns on her thighs, backsides and in her private parts.
It is estimated that 14 per cent of Kenyan women and six per cent of men aged 15-49 have experienced sexual violence at least once in their lifetime. Women and girls experience sexual violence more than men and boys.