Monster landlord locks two sisters inside house for one month over Sh21k rent arrears
Two sisters, one of them a minor, were on Tuesday rescued from a house in Shabab area, Nakuru after their landlord locked them inside for a month due to three month rent arrears.
Police officers, who were on morning patrol, were informed by concerned neighbours that the two girls, aged 14 and 22, had been locked in the house.
The sisters who were traumatised said that they woke up in the morning of October 29 to a locked door.
“Mum would bring us food through the window every day, she used to sleep at her friend’s house,” said the 22-year-old who is a third year student at Multimedia University.
The girls’ mother said the house was locked after she was unable to pay a 3 month rent.
She said that she was afraid to report the incident to the police because she thought she would be arrested for defaulting.
LOCKED HOUSE
“I owe the house agent Sh21,000; I could not raise that money urgently so they locked my house. Unfortunately they locked my kids inside there too,” she said.
Mr Vincent Owino, a resident of Shabab area, condemned the act terming it as being inhuman and oppressive.
“It would have been better if the agents could be lenient and consult with their clients before taking such actions,” said Mr Owino.
The OCPD Nakuru subdivision, Mr Joshua Omukata, said the two girls will remain in the police custody as they undergo interrogation.
He urged landlords and house agents to follow appropriate procedures in case a client defaults to pay rent.
“There have never been such cases in this area, the police are tracking down the owner of that apartment as we endeavour to solve the issue,” he said.
