The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to immediately commence investigations into the child exploitation ring exposed in the BBC Eye documentary aired on Tuesday.
In a statement on Thursday, ODPP gave DCI seven days to investigate the matter and present an investigation file to its office for review and the undertaking of appropriate legal action.
"Given the seriousness of the claims presented, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), pursuant to Article 157(4) of the Constitution, has directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to immediately undertake a thorough and comprehensive investigation and submit the resulting investigation file to the ODPP within seven (7) days for review and appropriate prosecutorial action," the statement read in part.
The documentary, dubbed "Madam: Exposing Kenya's Child Sex Trade", highlighted alleged cases of sexual trafficking and exploitation of minors in Maai Mahiu, Nakuru County.
It revealed that girls as young as 13 are being trafficked for sex in Kenya with the help of women known as 'madams'.
Since it aired three days ago, the documentary has sparked public outrage, especially since it was revealed that the National Police Service (NPS) had not made any arrests despite the BBC investigative team handing over all its findings.
After it aired, NPS on Wednesday announced that it had launched a full-scale investigation into a child exploitation ring following shocking revelations made.
The Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, further revealed that he had ordered the deployment of a multi-agency team, including officers from the specialised Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit (AHTCPU) in the county and neighbouring counties to look into the matter.
The team, which has already arrived in Maai Mahiu, has already recorded the statements of three persons of interest in connection with the exploitation network.
It is also working to identify, rescue, and support vulnerable children who may have been caught up in the abuse.
Highlighting the increasing threat of online child sexual exploitation, NPS noted that a forensic cybercrime unit- linked directly to Interpol's International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) database - had been established to trace digital footprints of abuse.
The unit is its first in Africa and will work closely with global partners, including the Victim Identification Network (VIN), enabling the timely identification and rescue of children featured in abusive digital content.
Several Killed After Train Hits Bus at Crossing News Just In
