Photo: Standard Digital

Two teenage girls had an Easter holiday to forget when a hike excursion at Menengai Crater turned into a rape ordeal on Sunday evening.

The minors – aged 15 and 17 – are high school students at Moi Forces Academy and Uhuru Secondary School respectively. They were in a group of about ten youths who had gone hiking at the crater during the Easter festivities.

The two victims had separated from the rest of the group when they were accosted by four men.

“We parted ways from the rest of the group when the two accosted us. We called for help but we were too far to be hard by the rest. The suspects freed us after defiling me and my friend,” said one of the minors as quoted by Standard Digital.

The girls reunited with their friends and thereafter reported the incident to Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officers who were on patrol.

Kiamaina Ward MCA Mr Isaac Wahome said the two minors who were in shock gave them a description of the suspects after which they combed the forest in search for the suspects.

“We managed to corner two of the suspects but two managed to escape deep into the forest. We handed them over to KFS officers manning the forest who handed them to officers from Bahati Police Station,” said Wahome.

Members of the Kenya Red Cross who were in the area for a different exercise attended to the girls before rushing them to hospital for treatment.

“It was by luck that the Kenya Red Cross members were in the area and they assisted in handling the victims. They were rushed to the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital for medical attention,” added Wahome.

Bahati Sub County Police boss Jacinta Mwarania said the two suspects were booked at Maili Kumi Police Station in Bahati Sub County awaiting arraignment in court.

“The suspects didn’t have any identification documents on them. We have established that they are both 17 years old. They claim to be working as loaders at a quarry in Maili Sita area,” said the police boss.

Police said a medical report will determine charges preferred against the suspects

A search for more suspects is still on.