Judicial officers have decried the high rate of injustices practised on children and attributed them to poverty and ignorance of children’s rights among the residents.
Speaking during the launch of Children’s Justice Month on Friday, Homabay Magistrate Court Head of Station Jacintah Orwa cited rampant incidences of child trafficking in the region and called for a consolidated effort to address it.
“We are alarmed by this human social evil, which will contaminate society and rob us of our children, who are the future of this country, unless we come together and work to eliminate this menace,” she said.
The lawyer said most child traffickers come to the homes in the disguise of helpful relatives and snatch the innocent children, causing worries and sleepless nights to the affected families.
She alleged that most cases involving child kidnapping in the region have become very hard to tackle because the suspects take advantage of the vicinity and easy access to the neighbouring countries, where they hide and evade the law to reach them easily.
She blamed area chiefs and clan elders who hold kangaroo courts on cases involving child trafficking and told them to stop them because they block the innocent children from getting justice and hinder their successful growth in society.
Mrs Orwa disclosed that more than four severe cases of child trafficking were being heard in the law court, and one had ended successfully as the suspect was found guilty, sentenced, and imprisoned.
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Lady Justice Teresah Odera of the Kisii High Court issued a stern warning to perpetrators of children’s rights violations, saying that the law will trail them.
She asked parents to regard children as precious gifts from God and to stand to protect them in all ways, upholding their parental obligations.
She appealed to the public to actively participate in Children’s Justice Month by volunteering information about their negligence to the police for immediate intervention.
Homabay County Children ‘s Service Coordinator Kennedy Kirigwa disclosed that in this year alone, the county has decided more than 9,000 cases of children affected by Gender Based Violence among their parents at home and expressed fear for the future of such children if the trend continues.
He thanked the judiciary for the Children Justice Month initiative and expressed optimism about its mission.
By Enock Okongó
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