Police in Narok County have arrested a 35-yea-old man in Narok County who married an underage girl in a traditional ceremony and posted the photos of the girl on Facebook.
According to a police report seen by The Kenya Times, Narok County Children’s Director Pilot Khaemba said the Facebook post of the traditional Maasai wedding that was held at Naikarra Village in Narok West Sub-County, caused a stir on social media, prompting them to report the matter to police, who made the arrest.
“We got a tip off that there is a man who had married an underage girl and posted photos on Facebook. I therefore notified the police, who managed to arrest the suspect. The man is said to have disappeared with the 17-year-old girl, before he organized the ceremony, ” Khaemba said.
Also Read: Elders from the Sabaot Community Sensitized on Effects of FGM
The children officer further stated that the girl recently lost her mother and her father.
According to Khaemba, the minor’s elder brother colluded with marrying off the minor in a bid to avoid taking her to school.
The incident comes a month after a Narok court sentenced a fifty-year-old man to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to defiling and marrying a ten-year-old girl.
Narok Senior Resident Magistrate Phyllis Shinyanda jailed Saigulu Ololosereka, who admitted defiling a ten-year-old girl and marrying her in violation of the law in 2019.
Khaemba decried the high number of early marriage cases in the area and called for action.
“It is shocking that these culprits no longer fear the government. If you find such people having the courage to post a wedding ceremony with a minor then we are headed in the wrong direction, “Khaemba said.