This archive report was first published on 9 August 2019.
Published on August 9, 2019
Frank Wanyama and Alex Olaba, two Kenyan rugby players, have been found guilty of raping a young musician in Nairobi. The incident occurred at her Highrise Apartment in February last year.
On Thursday, the trial magistrate, Martha Mutuku, passed a guilty verdict on the two players. However, she postponed the sentencing to August 16 to consider their mitigation plea.
The prosecution is opposed to the plea, arguing that the players should receive the mandatory 15-year or life sentence as provided for under the Sexual Offences Act.
"The Sexual Offences Act provides strict liability for offenders considering the victim is equally young," the prosecution argued.
Through their advocate, John Simiyu, Olaba and Wanyama argued that they should receive a non-custodial sentence due to their youth and humble backgrounds. They claimed that they were able to support their families through their rugby careers.
Wanyama, a former national sevens team player, has a notable rugby career, having played in the 2015 Safari Sevens and the 2016 Singapore Sevens. He was part of the historic Kenyan team that clinched the 2016 Singapore Sevens Main Cup title.
