NAIROBI KENYA, Aug 6 — A 70-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Kajiado court after being found guilty of defiling a 13-year-old girl in Loitoktok.
Gachuki Nelson Njuguna of the Loitoktok Magistrate’s Court handed down the custodial sentence following a successful prosecution by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
The accused was convicted of defilement contrary to Section 8(1) as read with Section 8(3) of the Sexual Offences Act.
According to the prosecution team led by Principal Prosecution Counsel Thomas Mwaura, the incident occurred on January 11.
“The young girl had gone to purchase water at a local market when the elderly man lured her into his home and assaulted her. The victim’s father, alerted by a vigilant neighbor, caught the perpetrator in the act, leading to his immediate arrest,” Counsel Mwaura stated.
According to a statement released by the ODPP, in the judgment delivered on 4th August, the court found that Prosecution had proven all the essential elements of defilement under Section 8(1) as read with Section 8(3) of the Sexual Offences Act which is the victim’s age, the act of penetration and positive identification of the perpetrator through credible witness testimony and corroborating medical evidence.
During the proceedings, the defense attempted to seek leniency based on the convict’s advanced age and lack of prior criminal record. However, the Magistrate rejected the plea, insisting on the statutory guidelines designed to deter child abuse and uphold justice.
Despite a mitigation plea citing the accused’s age and previous good character, the court upheld the mandatory minimum sentence prescribed by law, emphasizing the judiciary’s duty to protect children and deliver justice for survivors of sexual violence.
