Police officer arrested for allegedly defiling stepdaughter for three years

A police officer attached to Diani Police Station has been remanded after he allegedly defiled his stepdaughter, aged 16 years. 

The officer, who was arrested last week, is alleged to have been defiling the stepdaughter for the past three years, when the victim was only 13 years old. 

To conceal the victim's identity, we will call her Jacqueline. In 2022, when the defilement incident happened, Jacqueline was only 13 years old when her step dad, a police officer then attached to Kamukunji Police Station, did the unimaginable.

"My mum and my siblings walikuwa wameenda Mombasa. Dad alikuwa day shift. Akarudi jioni na machakula na juices," she said. 

In carrying out his alleged crime, he reportedly persuaded his stepdaughter to drink what he described as juice.

However, Jacqueline claims the beverage was alcoholic, and shortly after consuming it, she began to feel dizzy.

"Hiyo juice ilikuwa pink in color...The more nilikuwa nakunywa the more nilikuwa dizzy, akatoka kwenye alikuwa amekaa akakuja kwenye nilikuwa nakaa…niliskia movements, asubuhi najipata nikiwa room yake nikamuuliza akasema nisimuulize maswali mimi ni mtu mkubwa," she narrated.

What followed, according to Jacqueline, were chilling threats, warnings not to speak to anyone about the heinous act, or face unimaginable consequences.

Though she complied out of fear, the trauma took its toll. Her distress became evident, eventually prompting her teachers to suspect that something was seriously wrong.

"I received a call from her teachers…I was told my daughter was defiled…She explained that he did this on three occasions," the victim's mother stated. 

"Tukikaribia kufunga shule niliona hakuna haja ya kuishi nikaenda Chem lab nikataka kukoroga chochote nitapata sababu nilikuwa nafikiria kwamba naenda tena kupatana na babangu na atanifanyia chenye amekuwa akifanya," Jacqueline noted. 

Three years after the incident, the victim’s mother reported the matter to authorities, seeking legal action against her husband, Collyman Dyera Zeeta. The accused has been arrested in Kilifi County and was expected to take a plea.

However, the plea was unexpectedly delayed, raising concern within the family. They now fear that the case may be compromised, amid reports that the accused is related to a senior official within the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

"Hawakuwa wanataka achukue plea..Hao mawakili wake na uncle yake ambaye anafanya kazi ODPP," the victim's mother remarked. 

In what appears to be an attempt to obstruct justice, the victim’s mother alleges that the accused - her husband - has been sending her messages pleading with her to withdraw the case to protect his job.

Since reporting the matter in March this year, the family has relocated to an undisclosed location, citing fears for their safety. The case is scheduled for plea taking next week.