Wendi Waeni with former PM Raila Odinga/Courtesy of Facebook
NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 10 – Detectives drawn from the Child Protection Unit have launched a probe over alleged exploitation of a young gymnastic by her former manager, who has been identified as Joe Mwangi.
This is after the gymnastic, 14-year-old Wendy Waeni, revealed how her life and that of her mother remains miserable, allegedly because the manager took all the money she got paid after performing.
The young girl who was featured on JKL show on Citizen Television on Thursday spoke of how she has never benefited from her earnings despite performing across the world for the high and mighty.
“My mother is out there in the streets of Huruma selling sweets and cigarettes,” Waeni said during the famous show, usually hosted late at night.
She also revealed that her ex-manager was misusing her social media accounts.
Her claims attracted the wrath of Kenyans led by Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr and some of the country’s top lawyers like Donald Kipkorir, who called for action against Mwangi, who has since refuted the claims.
Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti on Friday said those who will be found culpable for any offense will be brought to book.
“I don’t know about child trafficking, but one-time Wendy came to Orange House and we wrote a cheque for her foundation. Weeks later Joe Mwangi came asking us to change it and write the cheque in his name. I canceled the whole thing …,” Orange Democratic Movement Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna posted on his twitter handle.
On his part, Lawyer Kipkorir in his post said, “Wendy Waeni is a child & I trust her word … Joe Mwangi used her & her social media accounts to enrich himself … Joe exploited her innocence to get access to Presidents & powerful men … Joe Mwangi should be charged..”
Senator Kilonzo offered to take up the matter and represent Waeni in a court of law.
