Nyeri: A commissioner with the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has raised concerns over a court’s decision in Nyeri to allow a defilement and murder suspect more than a month to reconsider his plea.

According to Kenya News Agency, Dr. Margaret Karungaru of NGEC expressed her bewilderment at the court’s decision, despite a mental assessment indicating that the accused, Nicholas Julius Macharia, was fit to stand trial. Dr. Karungaru questioned why the court permitted Macharia to plead a second time, especially after he initially pleaded guilty to the charges.

“This is an offence where we feel that the judge had a leeway to expedite this case so that Tamara (the victim) gets justice as soon as possible. We know that once an accused person is given a long time to reflect, we may get a plea that is not guilty so we are very concerned because we thought that this was a very straightforward case,” said Dr. Karungaru.

She further criticized the court for delaying justice for the victim, Tamara Blessing Kabura, a seven-year-old, by allowing Macharia 46 days to reconsider his plea after initially admitting guilt. Justice Kizito Magare had ordered that Macharia remain in custody until the end of July, at which point he will be asked to retake his plea. Justice Magare explained that it was necessary for Macharia to fully understand the penalty, which could be a death sentence.

Dr. Karungaru made these remarks following a meeting with the Nyeri county committee on Gender-Based Violence and Child Abuse, attended by key stakeholders, including representatives from the County Department for Gender and Social Services and women and children rights activists.

The commissioner also urged the judiciary to speed up the proceedings of child abuse cases in Nyeri County, highlighting the slow progress of about 20 cases this year alone. She called on the Law Society of Kenya to ensure that such cases are expedited to prevent further delays in justice.