DPP gives DCI 7 days to probe Maai Mahiu child sex trade after BBC exposé

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has reacted to a recently aired documentary by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), titled ‘Madam: Exposing Kenya's Child Sex Trade’, which highlights alleged cases of sexual trafficking and exploitation of minors in Maai Mahiu, Nakuru County.

In a statement released on August 7, the ODPP noted that the allegations pointed to serious violations of children's rights and could amount to grave criminal offences under the Kenyan law.

The statement went on to divulge that the DPP had since directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to undertake a probe into the matter and submit its findings within 7 days.

"The ODPP is mandated to prosecute all offences, including those involving human rights violations and crimes against children. Article 53 of the Constitution of Kenya guarantees the rights of children, including protection from abuse, neglect, harmful cultural practices, and all forms of violence and exploitation," read the statement in part.

"Given the seriousness of the claims presented, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), pursuant to Article 157(4) of the Constitution, has directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to immediately undertake a thorough and comprehensive investigation and submit the resulting investigation file to the ODPP within seven (7) days for review and appropriate prosecutorial action."

The ODPP went on to underscore its commitment to executing its constitutional mandate while at the same time assuring the public of justice to the Naivasha child victims.

"[We] remain committed to executing our constitutional mandate in accordance with the law, public interest and administration of justice," the statement said.

In the August 4 BBC Africa Eye investigation, the broadcaster revealed how girls as young as 13 are being trafficked for sex in Kenya, with the help of women known as "madams".

In the bombshell expose, the BBC revealed how, in the transit town of Maai Mahiu, in Kenya's Rift Valley, children were being sexually abused and widely used in the sex trade prevalent in the area.

The BBC's secret filming revealed two different women who said they knew it is illegal and then introduced the investigators to underage girls in the sex industry.

The BBC's grainy footage filmed on the street in the dark showed one woman, who calls herself Nyambura, laughing as she says: "They're still children, so it's easy to manipulate them by just handing them sweets."

"Prostitution is a cash crop in Maai Mahiu; the truckers basically fuel it. And that's how we benefit. It's been normalised in Maai Mahiu," she explained, adding that she had one girl as young as 13, who had already been "working" for six months.

"It becomes very risky when you're dealing with minors. You can't just bring them out openly in town. I only sneak them out at night in great secrecy," Nyambura said.

In another meeting, she led the undercover investigator to a house where three young girls sat huddled on a sofa, another on a hard-backed chair.

Nyambura then left the room, giving the investigator an opportunity to speak to the girls alone.

They described being repeatedly abused for sex, on a daily basis.

"Sometimes you have sex with multiple people. The clients force you to do unimaginable things," said one of the girls.

The directive by the DPP comes after the National Police Service (NPS) on Wednesday said it had already launched a swift and comprehensive investigation into the child trafficking and sexual exploitation claims.

NPS, through Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga, emphasized the urgency and severity of the matter, noting that it has since deployed a multi-agency team to address the crisis head-on.

The team, which includes specialized officers from the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit (AHTCPU), has already been dispatched to Maai Mahiu, a key area highlighted in the documentary, and taken statements from three persons of interest as part of the ongoing investigation.