The Kikuyu Sub-County kangaroo courts initiated at village levels by community policing members have been put on the spot for allegedly colluding with chiefs and village headmen to protect sex pests in the area.
The residents led by Edwin Mburu and Joram Nyaga said the kangaroo courts were denying sexually abused girls justice.
Speaking at a baraza at the chief’s office in Kikuyu town on Monday, the duo said that several sexually abused girls and their parents continue to suffer in silence following intimidation from the community policing members.
They accused the members of allegedly colluding with the perpetrators of the vices to arm twist the victims' parents into out-of-court agreements brokered by the policing groups.
"There are a number of defilement cases going on unreported due to the kangaroo courts initiated by community policing members who derail justice for the Gender-Based Violence victims in this region," observed Mburu.
They challenged the public to rise up and break its silence on GBV cases affecting women and girls, to ensure that the victims get justice.
During the meeting, Mburu singled out cases involving male teachers who sexually abuse their female learners and liaise with local community policing members to intimidate the girls' parents to accept to settle the cases out of court.
The area Samuel Mbugua, however, said that despite the fact that some chiefs in the sub county were involved in the cruel act, the kangaroo courts have played a big role in safeguarding the welfare of the residents and more so the youths.
He urged parents and residents to report any suspicious moves by the stakeholders to the relevant authorities to stem the vice and and also bring the culprits to book.
“The culprits should not be left loitering around enjoying the freedom for their bad deeds. They should be arrested and charged in the court just like any other criminal,” said Timothy Maina, another resident.
He said that honest, trustworthy people should be assigned to be working at the courts instead of having individuals who end up manipulating the trust and tampering with the courts' results and proceedings.