On Friday, May 15, Principal Magistrate Caroline Wattimah, at a court in Eldoret, sentenced a man to life in prison for defiling an 11-year-old girl.
Wattimah delivered the sentence after the man was found guilty by the court for committing the atrocities against the minor in her own mother's bed.
The suspect was allegedly dating the victim's mother at the time. The Director of Public Prosecutions, through Prosecution Counsel Fredrick Rapando, urged the court to apply the law and impose the mandatory life sentence.
During the case proceedings, the victim narrated to the court the events that took place in Turbo Sub-County.
"During the trial, the victim testified that the accused, who was her mother’s boyfriend, defiled her in her mother’s bed.
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"She further informed the court that the accused threatened her against disclosing the incident, warning that he would “pour glue into her mouth” if she told anyone, the DPP wrote.
The prosecution pleaded with the Court to declare the suspect a dangerous sexual offender, a request which it concurred with.
Principle Magistrate Wattimah further directed that the victim be accorded medical treatment and psychological support as requested by the prosecution.
Rapondo was joined in the prosecution by Public Prosecution Counsel Lilian Mogo, who assisted him in prosecuting the case and securing the sentencing.
The court's decision comes amid a push for tougher punishment for offenders amid a spike in defilement and gender-based violence in the country.
The new proposals seek to eliminate informal or out-of-court settlements for defilement cases, make defilement a mandatory state offence and review the minimum sentencing laws.
Meanwhile, another crisis of forced disappearances and the suspected kidnapping of children has rocked the country.
KANU Leader Gideon Moi petitioned the government to address what he termed a national crisis. He told the government that it was constitutionally obliged to safeguard the lives of children and all Kenyans.
