This archive report was first published on 24 July 2019.
On March 1, 2017, a heinous crime shook a family in an estate near Kisumu Airport. An 18-year-old man, accused of defiling his seven-year-old niece, has been found guilty of the offense and sentenced to life imprisonment.
The teenager was charged with defilement and incest. Senior Resident Magistrate Angeline Odawo presided over the case, listening to three witnesses who placed him at the scene of the crime.
The victim's mother testified that she had a disagreement with the accused before the incident. She stated that the teenager was an orphan living with her family and that she woke up to find her seven-year-old daughter naked on the night of March 1, 2017.
Medical tests later confirmed that the girl had been defiled. The teenager was arrested on March 5, 2017, and released on a Sh30,000 bond. In mitigation, the accused pleaded for forgiveness, citing his status as an orphan and his responsibility to care for his old guardian.
Ms Odawo was satisfied that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt. In her ruling, she stated, 'I have considered the nature of the offense and the accused's mitigation. I proceed to sentence the accused to life imprisonment.'
