Two minors freed after being locked inside the house for a week over rent arrears in Langalanga
Senior Assistant Chief, George Ng'ang'a with the help of other breaching through the locked door on Feb 27.
For the past week, a mother in Nakuru’s Langalanga estate has been feeding her children through a window after they were allegedly locked inside their rental house by a caretaker following a dispute over two months’ unpaid rent.
The two minors, aged 17 and 10, both suffer from severe health conditions that require medication and constant caregiving.
They were rescued today by the area Senior Assistant Chief, George Ng'ang'a, after he received reports about the incident.
The ordeal reportedly began last Wednesday when the caretaker allegedly closed and locked the house, leaving the children trapped inside. Their mother was forced to sleep outside while her two children remained indoors.
Neighbors grew concerned after noticing the mother spending nights outside. Well-wishers stepped in to offer her temporary accommodation and support as she searched for food, which she passed to the children through a window.
The matter was reported to the police and later brought to the attention of the Senior Assistant Chief who acting on the report, ordered that the house be broken into to rescue the children.
Langalanga location Senior Assistant Chief, George Ng'ang'a,.during an interview with the Media on Feb 27.
“It is inhumane to lock anyone inside a house following a disagreement, and it also goes against the law,” he says, noting that there is a three-month period during which, if rent is not paid, auctioneers may be called in accordance with legal procedures.
He adds that authorities will investigate the incident further, as locking tenants inside a house over rent disputes raises serious legal and human rights concerns.