This archive report was first published on 5 August 2019.
On August 5, 2019, the High Court handed down a 35-year sentence to a woman who had defiled her 11-year-old nephew, putting him at risk of contracting HIV.
The woman, who was found guilty of the offense, had pleaded for leniency, citing her HIV-positive status. However, the court ruled that the sentence was necessary to serve as a deterrent and to help her pay for the offense.
The incident occurred on September 2, 2017, at Shiseso village in Kakamega South, where the woman, who was a single mother, defiled the minor after luring him to a nearby thicket. The boy was later diagnosed with syphilis and put under medication.
During her appeal, the woman argued that the sentence was harsh and excessive, and that she was remorseful. However, the High Court upheld the sentence, stating that the offense was serious and attracted a deterrent sentence.
