Children’s home faces closure over sexual abuse allegations

A children’s home in Kangema, Murang’a County is facing closure after a Deputy County Commissioner ordered a probe into sexual abuse allegations made against its proprietor.

The facility’s owner who is a pastor was in December 2017 accused of sexually harassing an 18-year-old girl with promises of supporting her education.

It is alleged that the pastor visited the home of the girl and requested her mother to allow her daughter to visit his children’s home to help him with minor chores.

According to the mother, her daughter, a fourth born in a family of five, said the pastor coerced her into having sex with him on different dates at the facility’s chapel in December.

She lamented that the pastor took advantage of her daughter’s poor background to exploit her.

Speaking to Citizen Digital, Murang’a Deputy County Commissioner William Lenaremo and Children Officer Charles Maina condemned the incident saying that their investigations were prompted after a flurry of sexual allegations were made against the pastor.

“We have already made arrangements to transfer the girl to a new school as we commence the probe. We have also put in place security measures to ensure that she is safe,” said Mr.  Maina.

The Deputy County Commissioner said that if the pastor is found guilty, the other children will be relocated to a new facility.

“I will visit the home before the end of the week in effort to get facts about the incident and establish safety of the children hosted there,” said Mr. Lenaremo.