By John Majau
A 16-year old boy has been hospitalized after an attack by a gang of five young men who attempted to chop off his genitals.
The teenager from Baibariu village in Igembe Central, Meru County was on Sunday lured by a man who had promised to offer him a casual job, to harvest mangoes.
Upon reaching a secluded area, four other young men who were armed with machetes emerged and threatened to forcefully circumcise him.
The Class Six pupil pleaded with the assailants telling them that he had already undergone the rite of passage before pinning him to the ground and stripping him naked.
Even after confirming that the boy had indeed been circumcised, they insisted on chopping off his manhood. The victim managed to set himself free as they were just about to severe his manhood.
During the struggle he sustained a deep cut in his leg.
The boy’s mother who heard the commotion rushed to the scene only to find her son pleading with his attackers to spare his life.
“I pleaded with the men not to hurt my son, that is when they fled,” she said.
The mother, who is a widow could not afford to take her son to hospital.
Mr. James Mithika, a clinical officer who runs the Laare Maternity and Nursing Home said that by the time the boy was taken to hospital he looked weak after losing a lot of blood.
“I found the emaciated boy sleeping on the floor in a small house. We took him to the theatre where we did an operation on him that took three hours,” he said.
Residents are now calling for justice and for the culprits to be brought to book. The assailants are reported to be roaming freely in the area despite the matter having been reported at Kiutine Police Station.
Dr. Martin Kimathi said that assault cases had increased in the region and blamed the police for dragging their feet in dealing with such cases.
In November, a Mt Kenya University student from the area died after his private parts were allegedly chopped off by his girlfriend.
In another case, a 60-year old miraa farmer is also fighting for his life in hospital after his private parts were allegedly severed by his wife following a domestic quarrel at Kirindara village, Igembe North, Meru County.
Neighbors who responded to his distress call rushed him to Maua Methodist Hospital while in critical condition. His wife has since denied committing the offense. The case is still pending in court.
