Lost Innocence: The agonizing pain of mother whose 12-year-old daughter was defiled, murdered
Jasmine Njoki whose body was found in a thicket in Gilgil.
She burst into tears the moment she walked into the boardroom.
Accompanied by her younger sister because of her ill health, Trizah Wangari, could not hold in the grief that the murder of her child has brought her.
For two months now, she has had to cope with the untimely death of her 12-year-old daughter who was defiled and murdered, her body stashed in a thicket a few meters from her home.
Trizah Wangari and Jasmine Njoki.
“Jasmine Njoki is her name and justice is yet to prevail. To think that my daughter is no more and the perpetrator may go scot-free hurts me,” she says.
Every now and then during our interview, we had to pose as she was overwhelmed by emotions. She still refers to her daughter in the present tense.
Who, Why and when will justice be served were her biggest questions.
Wangari narrates, that her phone rung on September 19 at around 9 pm. On the end of the call, one of the men who formed part of the searching troops told her they had found her daughter's body and identified it. Immediately, her body went into a state of shock.
She could not stomach that her daughter who left for school healthy that morning, was no more.
Recalling her last time with Jasmine, Wangari says, “She was leaving for school around 6.30 am when she came to my bedroom, and asked me, mum, niko smart? Sadly, I did not know that was the last day with her.”
When Mtaa Wangu last visited her homestead during the wake ceremony, Wangari was nowhere to be seen. She moaned her daughter in seclusion.
Even during the burial, she hardly remembers how proceedings were done. However, thanks to videos recorded on September 27, she can follow up on promises made on that day.
Also Read: Lost Innocence: A Nakuru woman's fight for justice after daughter was allegedly defiled by teacher
“I watched videos from the day my daughter was being put to rest and many politicians promised that justice will be delivered. To date, much has not been done to bring the perpetrators to book,” she says.
According to her, Jasmine was a respectful child and she had a culture of respecting everyone.
I could not miss her referring to her daughter in the present tense during our interview. To her, her quest for justice and unacceptance to her daughter’s ordeal has kept her embracing her presence till date.
Wangari says the family members who have stood with her as she seeks justice for Jasmine are her sister, Jasmine's uncle and her father. She however did not want to comment on her husband's input to get justice for their daughter.
Trizah Wangari, Jasmine's mother during an interview on November 29, 2023.
Other than family members, Wangari has visited the governor’s office where she was referred to the Chief Officer Gender.
Gladys Kamuren who she says has been of great help to her.
“Since my health has been steadily improving, I will be knocking on all doors till we get help. My daughter’s dream of becoming a neurosurgeon was unfairly cut short. To think we moved her to better school so that her dream could be realized aches my heart,” she said
In a phone interview with the Gilgil Director of Criminal Investigation Officer, David Ochieng’, he notes that investigations are still underway to get Jasmine’s killers.
“Semen samples from the six suspects were submitted to the government chemist and we are waiting for the results to proceed with our investigations,” he says.
Asked if there are any suspects in custody, he reveals that suspects who were in police custody were released by the court, since they could not be held without the sample results.