Murkomen claims BBC expose on Mai Mahiu child sex abuse was staged
Though the CS admitted cases of sexual exploitation involving young people do exist, he said security agencies, including the anti-trafficking unit, have done tremendous work to make sure that such incidents are managed
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has claimed that the recent BBC documentary exposé on child sexual exploitation in the Mai Mahiu area is a hoax.
Speaking on Wednesday when he appeared before the National Assembly plenary to respond to questions regarding the state of security in the country, the CS dismissed the documentary, saying that it is fabricated and misleading, claiming that investigations indicate those featured are not minors.
“We are confirming that the entire report (BBC documentary) was fake because the people who were interviewed are not underage. That is why I went the whole length to read their pseudo names, who they are, and what they do, and what was the motivating factor when they were posing as children,” he stated.
Murkomen insisted the documentary, titled “Madam: Kenya’s Child Sex Trade”, was deliberately staged to create a false impression of rampant sexual abuse of minors in the area.
“As far as the BBC documentary is concerned, it was a hoax. It was planned and executed in a manner to portray that there were underage girls who were going through sexual exploitation, while in reality the people [acting] knew that they were not,” he added.
Though the CS admitted cases of sexual exploitation involving young people do exist, he said security agencies, including the anti-trafficking unit, have done tremendous work to make sure that such incidents are managed.
“That is not to say that there may be no cases of sexual exploitation of young people in the country. The security agencies, including the anti-trafficking unit, have done tremendous work to make sure that these incidents are managed,” he said.
In the investigative piece by BBC, it was revealed how minors in the busy Mai Mahiu town are sexually exploited sparking intense public outrage and prompted action from authorities, including the National Police Service (NPS).
In a statement, the NPS acknowledged the severity of the revelations and assured the public that law enforcement agencies are addressing the situation.
“NPS has taken note of the BBC documentary exposing Kenya’s Child Sex Trade. We recognise the urgency and gravity of the issues raised and are treating them with the seriousness they deserve,” NPS stated.
They promised to have sent a multi-agency team of specialized officers from the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit (AHTCPU) to the area, adding that statements have been taken from three persons of interest.
“Immediate steps have also been taken to identify, rescue, and support the affected children. Investigations are ongoing, to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators,” it added.
NPS further acknowledged the growing concern of digital exploitation, revealing that it has developed a new cybercrime unit to combat online child sexual abuse materials and identify victims.
Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga weighed in on August 7, directing the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to immediately undertake a thorough and comprehensive investigation and submit the resulting investigation file to his office within seven days for review and appropriate prosecutorial action.
He said the allegations pointed to serious violations of children’s rights and may amount to grave criminal offences under Kenyan law.
