A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison over the killing of 17-year-old Farida Kadzo Changawa.
In a statement on Thursday, May 14, the International Justice Mission (IJM) welcomed the decision, describing it as a significant step toward justice for victims of violence against women and children.
Farida, who was a teenage mother and survivor of sexual violence, was killed on June 6, 2025, in Kijipwa, Kilifi County.
IJM, which had been supporting her during the pursuit of justice in a separate defilement case, noted that the matter was initially prosecuted as a murder case before later being reduced to manslaughter following plea bargain negotiations initiated by the defence.
Subsequently, the accused admitted to the lesser charge on March 3, 2026.
Read More
According to IJM, the case took nearly 11 months in court and involved several adjournments and appearances before reaching its conclusion.
The organization said the outcome reflects both progress in accountability and the persistent concerns surrounding justice for survivors of violence.
"While this sentence is a step toward justice, it cannot restore the life lost. IJM stood with Farida in her pursuit of protection and justice, and her case underscores the urgent need to strengthen survivor protection at every stage," IJM Manager, Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC), Aggrey Juma, said.
This comes a month after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) secured convictions against a restaurant operator and his boda boda associate after a court in Kilifi found them guilty of trafficking a minor for sexual exploitation.
In a statement on Monday, April 13, the agency confirmed that the two men were fined Ksh30 million each alongside lengthy prison sentencs.
According to the ODPP, this follows the court’s determination that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
"Principal Magistrate Ivy Wasike ruled that Stephen Changawa Kahindi alias Kitsonyole and Stephen Katana Menza to each pay Ksh30 million in fines after the court found them guilty of trafficking a 14-year-old girl for sexual exploitation," the statement read.
In default of paying the fines, the two convicts will each serve 30 years in prison.
Kahindi received an extra three-year jail term after being found guilty of conspiring to defeat justice and interfering with witnesses, contrary to Section 117 of the Penal Code.
On the other hand, Menza was handed a 20-year sentence for defilement under the Sexual Offences Act No. 3 of 2006.
Menza was also sentenced to an additional five years for threatening to kill the minor, an offence under Section 223(1) of the Penal Code, after he reportedly brandished a knife and warned the victim to remain silent during the abuse.
According to the prosecution, the crimes were committed over a span of several months within Kilifi County.
"The offence was committed on diverse dates between 7th February 2024 and 10th July 2024 at Mwahera location in Ganze Sub County within Kilifi County," the statement added.
The court directed that the sentences would run concurrently, with each convict’s term calculated from the time they were first remanded in custody.
The court heard that Kahindi, a hotel operator in Ganze, lured the 14-year-old girl from her parents under the pretense of offering her education and employment opportunities.
He then handed her over to Menza in exchange for Ksh1,000. Menza is said to have transported the minor on a motorcycle to Dzifahe, where she was subjected to abuse.
In delivering her judgment, Principal Magistrate Ivy Wasike also issued directives aimed at supporting the victim’s recovery following the traumatic experience.
"Hon. Wasike ordered that the victim continues receiving psychosocial support to aid her recovery from trauma and be linked to vocational and skills training to help rebuild her life," the statement concluded.
