Two young men have been sentenced to 28 years in prison for the gang defilement of a 16-year-old girl in Kilifi County.
In a statement on Tuesday, May 27, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said Gift Kalu Mwango and Emmanuel Kazungu Mganga committed the heinous act in February 2025.
"21-year old Gift Kalu Mwango and Emmanuel Kazungu Mganga, 19, were found guilty of gang defiling a 16-year-old girl on the 9th February 2024 at Mwambetsungu in Kilifi," the statement read.
The court heard harrowing details of the crime, which occurred when the victim left her home at 10 PM to collect her shoes.
It was then when the two perpetrators, identified as her neighbors, ambushed her.
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“Court heard that the victim had gone out to collect her shoes at 10 PM when she was accosted by the two, who were her neighbours. They covered her mouth and took her to a nearby thicket where Mwango defiled her while Mganga held a knife and threatened her with violence if she resisted,” the ODPP stated.
During the trial, the prosecution presented a compelling case that established the elements of gang defilement, including the victim’s age, the act of penetration, and the identity of the perpetrators.
Chief Magistrate Obulutsa, in his ruling, emphasized the strength of the prosecution’s evidence.
"Having considered the Prosecution's case and defence, the court is satisfied that the prosecution has proved the main charge of gang defilement beyond doubt. The accused are found guilty and convicted accordingly," he stated.
The court also addressed the role of Emmanuel Kazungu Mganga, who did not directly participate in the act of defilement but was complicit in the crime.
"Although the court noted that Mganga did not participate in the defilement, it considered that he saw what was happening and had the option of either stopping the act or walking away," the statement added.
