A radio presenter with a local FM station was charged with defiling a Form One student in a Garissa court.
Muhiyadin Mohammed, 34, a presenter at Warsan FM, appeared before chief magistrate Cosmas Maundu charged with two counts of sexually abusing the 17-year-old girl in Bula Iftin, Garissa, on October 26 last year.
According to the prosecution, the suspect lured the girl to his house to allegedly give her advice on how she should pursue a career in journalism.
The court was told the girl believed him because he worked as a presenter.
He is alleged to have forced the girl to have sex with him. The schoolgirl was found to be pregnant when she reported for Form One at Thika Garrison Secondary School.
The suspect stood pensively in the packed court as the charges were read to him. Mohammed denied the charges and was released on a Sh200,000 bond with the same surety or cash bail of a similar amount.
His lawyer had pleaded with the court to release him on bond and the prosecution did not object.
The case will be heard on April 1, while mentioning was set for February 19.
Sources told the Star the girl's relatives had previously tried to settle the matter the traditional way commonly known as 'Maslah'.
Cases of child abuse are on the rise in Northeastern. However, many don't end up in court because the cases are resolved traditionally and suspects walk scot-free.
-The Star
