Nairobi — The Government has sent a team to investigate the cause of a protest at Kangubiri Girls, which left at least 10 girls sexually molested.

Central Deputy Provincial Director of Education, Mr Timothy Opot, said a special team had been dispatched to the institution. Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department and education officials will also investigate whether the girls were under the influence drugs when they walked out of school after breaking down the gate.

"Besides the CID and intelligence officers, the ministry has also dispatched quality assurance officers to investigate the matter," said Opot.

According to education officials, the Principal, Monica Kagume, last week summoned some parents to the school over their daughter's poor performance. The students' protest march on Sunday night turned tragic when ten girls were raped by a gang after they stormed out of the school. Three of the girls are still admitted at Nyeri Provincial General Hospital while seven others are yet to seek medical attention.

Private prosecution

Meanwhile, a Non-Governmental Organisation has threatened to institute a private prosecution against the school. The Centre for Rights Education and Awareness(CREAW) said it was watching keenly how the police would handle the rape cases.

CREAW Executive Director, Anne Njogu, said the school had contributed to the horrors the girls went through at the hands of the rapists. The organisation has sent a team of researchers on fact-finding mission in readiness for the private prosecution.

"I believe the school management in one way or another failed to respond to the problem in time. As a result of this negligence the lives of ten girls have been ruined. Somebody must pay for this," she said.

Njogu said the Attorney General should determine to what extent the school was guilty and take appropriate action, failure to which the organisation would go to court.

"Rape and other sexual crimes should not be taken lightly. It is appalling that a school can ignore the early warning signs leading to the mass rape," she said

Njogu said that although she did not condone student indiscipline or walkouts, she was concerned by the apathy displayed by some managers who blatantly violate the rights of their learners.