By Sammy Jakaa
A Bungoma Court sentenced a 40-year-old man to life imprisonment for defiling his 10-year-old daughter.
Bungoma Senior Resident magistrate Peter Areri handed Arnold Esiromo Aoko the harsh jail time after he pleaded guilty to the offence.
Despite pleading for leniency, the magistrate said the accused beastly acts did not deserve any mercy.
The charges stated that on diverse dates between January 1 and July 31, 2012 at Rwatama village he unlawfully defiled his daughter.
Chief prosecutor, Abdul Wako told the court that the girl was living with her father and other siblings after their parents divorced.
The victim, a standard two pupil of Rwatama Primary School reported the matter to her grandmother who then informed the head teacher.
The school head Joseph Eseme and area acting Chief Erineyo Majune mobilized the community who stormed the home of the accused and arrested him.
The man was taken for a medical examination at Kocholia District hospital where his results confirmed he is HIV positive.
She said her father threatened to kill her with a sword if she dared reveal it to anybody.
Area acting chief Majune said the man admitted having committed the act since 2011 when his wife left with his two other children.
Majune condemned the act terming it not only a criminal offence but also an abomination.
He appealed to the general public to always report such cases noting that many children are suffering in silence.
Teso North Maendeleo ya Wanawake chairperson Mary Okedi said that many such cases often go unreported in the District since most parents fear stigma from the
community.
Okedi also warned parents who accept bribes so as to withdraw defilement cases for fear that the culprits will be prosecuted.
