Kenyan High School Principal Accused of Negligence in Student Rape Case

Hillary Okeyo

Highridge Girls Secondary School principal Mary Muraku has been interdicted over alleged negligence. Ms Muraku is accused of failing to take action against a male teacher, Mr Hillary Okeyo, who allegedly raped a Form One student in the school. If found guilty, the principal faces dismissal. Her name will also be struck off the teachers register. Teachers Service Commission rules state that a  deregistered teacher cannot teach anywhere in or outside Kenya.

Correspondence seen by the Nation shows that Ms Muraku failed to report to the authorities, the “immoral behaviour of Hillary Okeyo Moses and the student during prep time”. “You also failed to take her to hospital in good time for medication,” it reads. Mr Okeyo is alleged to have grabbed the girl, dragged her into a toilet, gagged and defiled her. It is not clear why the school took three days to take her to hospital even after learning about it. Mr Okeyo has denied a charge of defilement and committing an indecent act with a minor. He also denied touching the child’s breasts and buttocks. The school management is also accused of waiting for close to a week to report the alleged crime and further stopping the victim from calling her parents. The parents learnt of the alleged attack from police.

Ms Muraku is said to have employed Mr Okeyo even though he was not a registered teacher.

“You also engaged Hillary Okeyo as a board of management teacher to teach biology and agriculture at Highridge Secondary School while he was not a registered teacher,” reads the letter.

The law prohibits unregistered teachers from teaching. Mr Okeyo is currently in custody as the trial proceeds. The High Court on Monday reversed an order by a magistrate granting Mr Okeyo a Sh500, 000 cash bail pending the hearing of the case. Lady Justice Ngenya Macharia upheld submissions by prosecutor Duncan Ondimu who said the suspect was likely to interfere with potential witnesses mainly students.

-The Nation, Kenya- 

The Principal and the alleged rapist should definitely be punished if guilty.