Loice (not her real name), a mother from Ukunda in Kwale County, refused to let fear stand in the way of justice after her 12-year-old daughter was defiled by a feared witchdoctor who held the child captive in his house for two days.
The girl had been waylaid on her way to school, and when Loice discovered that her daughter was being held inside the suspect’s house, she summoned the courage to confront him, despite his reputation for instilling fear among residents.
“I knew people feared this man, but I could not allow that fear to cost my daughter her future. She was only 12, a child who should have been in school. I could not sit back and watch someone destroy her life simply because people were afraid to speak out,” Loice says.
The confrontation turned physical when the suspect attempted to fight her. Loice raised the alarm, attracting help from other residents who helped take him to the police station.
With support from Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), the case proceeded through the justice system, culminating in the suspect’s conviction and a 20-year prison sentence.
According to Joy Mbungu, a SHOFCO case worker in Kwale, some members of the Mijikenda community turn to elders to resolve sexual violence cases rather than pursuing them through the formal justice system.
“Some families believe elders should sit down, hear a sexual violence case and decide what happens next. But sexual violence against a child is a crime, not simply a family disagreement. When cases are settled informally, perpetrators may walk free while survivors are left without justice,” she says.
Mbungu says reporting can become even more difficult when the accused comes from a family associated with witchcraft, as some residents fear supernatural retaliation.
“People worry that reporting the crime could bring misfortune or death to their families. That fear can silence an entire community, leaving children exposed to further abuse. We need to help people understand that seeking justice is a way of protecting children, not inviting harm upon their families,” she says.
Through community sensitisation and collaboration with government institutions, SHOFCO is working to encourage reporting, support survivors and strengthen the pathway from reporting an offence to prosecution.
Since the beginning of 2026, SHOFCO has handled 2,940 cases involving SGBV, child neglect, assault and other gender-based violence-related concerns in Kwale County.
The organisation has also supported efforts that have secured 25 convictions and one acquittal of SGBV cases in the county during the same period.
“Protecting survivors requires all of us to work together. By partnering with the police, the Judiciary, the Children Department and other institutions, we can help survivors navigate the justice system and ensure their cases receive the attention they deserve,” Dr. Kennedy Odede, SHOFCO founder and chief executive, said.
Mwanakombo Juma, the Children Officer for Matuga Sub-County, says communal living can complicate the reporting of sexual abuse, particularly incest and offences involving people known to victims and their families.
“People live together, depend on one another and know each other’s families. When the alleged perpetrator is someone the community fears, families may remain silent because they worry about the consequences of reporting,” she says.
Poverty presents another obstacle to justice.
Willy Busienei, the Officer Commanding Station at Kwale Police Station, says some children are lured into exploitative situations with as little as Sh50.
“This shows how vulnerable some children are. Poverty can make them targets of exploitation, and when abuse occurs, the same financial hardship can prevent their families from pursuing justice,” he says.
Busienei says some families abandon formal proceedings and attempt to settle cases at home because they cannot afford transport and other expenses associated with attending court.
To address these challenges, police have partnered with SHOFCO to sensitise residents on reporting procedures, court processes and available government services.
The partnership seeks to improve understanding of the justice system while linking survivors to support that can help them navigate court appearances and other stages of their cases.
Kwale Law Courts Principal Magistrate Rose Ombata says 65 SGBV cases are currently pending before her court.
Ombata says as a member of the Court Users Committee, SHOFCO works with justice-sector stakeholders and has supported training on child protection.
She notes that although the Judiciary has a budget allocation for witness and victim facilitation, available resources are insufficient to meet every need.
“SHOFCO has come in handy in bridging that gap. Support for transport and other essential needs can help survivors remain engaged in the process. This partnership is important because access to justice should not depend on whether a victim has money,” she says.
SHOFCO’s work involves linking community awareness with case management, referrals for medical and psychosocial support, coordination with relevant authorities and assistance that enables survivors to navigate the justice process.
For Loice’s daughter, support following the assault included medical check-ups and counselling facilitated by SHOFCO. She subsequently returned to school and is now in Grade Six, preparing for her national examination.
“What happened to her was painful, but it will not be the end of her story,” Loice says.
