ADVERT 
ADVERTA senior police officer in Kakamega County has been arrested and detained over allegations that he defiled a 16-year-old girl after allegedly using a fabricated security alert to lure her parents away from their home.
The officer, identified as Wycliff Kwendo, the Officer Commanding Lumakanda Police Station, was arrested after the teenager’s parents raised the alarm over the alleged incident.
According to the police account, the officer allegedly contacted the girl’s mother late at night and warned her that a multi-agency security operation was imminent in the area. He reportedly advised the woman and her husband to leave their home temporarily for their safety.
The couple allegedly followed the advice and were driven in the officer’s private vehicle to a local entertainment establishment. The officer reportedly promised to return for them in the early hours of the morning.
Suspicious about the arrangement, however, the woman allegedly convinced her husband to return home.
ADVERTIt was upon their return that the situation took a dramatic turn.
The parents reportedly found their house locked from inside. After knocking and calling out, their teenage daughter opened the door. The officer was allegedly found inside the house in an improperly dressed state and carrying his shoes.
A confrontation reportedly followed.
The officer allegedly attempted to persuade the parents to settle the matter privately. Police reports further allege that he took their mobile phones and offered the girl’s mother Sh20,000 in an apparent attempt to prevent disclosure of the incident.
The circumstances surrounding the alleged encounter have since triggered a formal investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
The girl and her mother were taken to a health facility for medical examination and treatment, while detectives visited the scene to gather evidence.
The officer was subsequently placed in custody at Kakamega Police Station as investigators prepared the case for further action.
The allegations have generated concern because of the officer’s position of authority and the heightened duty placed on police officers to protect vulnerable members of society, particularly children.
The case also raises serious questions about the alleged misuse of police authority and whether official security information was used to facilitate the alleged offence.
Investigators are expected to establish the sequence of events, examine the evidence recovered from the scene and determine whether the allegations meet the threshold for prosecution.
The officer has not been convicted of any offence and remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty by a court of law.
