A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after he was found guilty of defiling a 14-year-old girl in Loitip Village, Kiserian Location, Baringo County.
In a statement, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said the suspect was sentenced after the prosecution proved the case against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt at the Kabarnet Law Courts.
The prosecution told the court that the accused, on April 9, 2024, entered the home of the victim and threatened her with a knife before defiling her.
According to the ODPP, the victim was with her younger siblings, who were sleeping when the incident happened.
“Prosecution narrated to the court how on the 9th of April 2024, at around 10:00 PM, the victim was at home with her younger siblings, who were asleep, when the defendant entered the premises. He threatened her with a knife before committing the act,” the ODPP statement read in part.
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During the trial, the prosecution paraded six witnesses, including the victim, along with crucial evidence and medical examination reports, all substantiating claims of defilement.
While delivering the sentence, Kabarnet Law Courts Magistrate Edwin Mulochi highlighted the violent nature of the crime and the minimum sentencing requirements under the law.
The Magistrate also underscored the seriousness of the offense, the long-lasting impact on the victim, and the importance of imposing a strong deterrent to discourage similar crimes in the future.
This comes weeks after a former police officer was convicted of defilement following an investigation by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
In a statement on Friday, March 21, IPOA said Jacob Conrad Ojiambo was found guilty on Thursday, March 20, for defiling a minor on April 14, 2019, while serving as a Sergeant in the Administration Police Service.
The accused is set to be sentenced on April 23, 2025.
