A 38-year old Kenyan teacher believed to be HIV positive has been arrested for allegedly raping five girls in his school.

The girls, aged between 7 and 13, were reportedly defiled in turns by the teacher at Lidha Academy in Nyatike District, about 500km southwest of Nairobi, in the morning hours when other staff members and pupils were in their classes.

Police rescued the 38-year-old teacher from an angry mob that was baying for his blood, and locked him at Macalder police station.

According to acting school headteacher Joseph Ojijo, he received the information at around 11am Kenyan time when one of the girls told him the ordeal she had been through.

The teacher had been in the school for only two weeks after he was posted from a nearby school, said Mr Ojijo.

Nyatike District police boss Samuel Anampiu said the suspect would face defilement charges in court.

Disciplinary cases

He said the teacher had been examined by doctors and established his HIV status.

According to Mr Anampiu, villagers rushed to the school upon hearing the cries of the pupils as the suspect executed his acts. They roughed him up then the police rescued and whisked him away to the police station.