It’s 30 years for woman who burnt niece

By Stanley Ongwae
As she waited to hear the verdict of her case, Victoria Gadi stared into space or at the magistrate, her face composed. Not once did she glance at the more than 100 people packed in the Kehancha Law Courts in Migori County.

Three men – the co-accused – next to her stood stiffly and emotionless.

Then the magistrate’s voice pierced through the tense room: “Victoria Gadi, do you have anything to say to this court that may convince it not to give you a maximum sentence?”

Gadi’s cheeks were suddenly wet with tears and the people in the room held their breath waiting for her to seek forgiveness and acknowledge the crime she committed a year ago.

Gadi, 55, was accused of burning her brother’s 15-year-old daughter, Violet Mbusiro, for allegedly stealing Sh5,000 and occasion her grievous damage.

Images of Mbusiro in hospital were vivid in the minds of many people in the courtroom.

Instead of confessing, Gadi stubbornly told the court that she was innocent and offered no remorse.

In pleading for lenience, Gadi said she was the child’s guardian and knew she was pregnant at the time and thus did not harm her. (Mbusiro gave birth seven months after the attack).

The court then sentenced her to 30 years behind bars. Her co-accused got 14, 20 and 30 years respectively.

She was shocked and fainted for some minutes.

Temba said the court had carefully considered all the accounts that were given by various witnesses who testified in the case and found the four guilty.

They were charged that on October 12, last year, together with two other suspects who are still at large, assaulted, beat and burnt Mbusiro’s legs, causing her grievous harm.

They accused Mbusiro of stealing the money yet it turned out it was Gadi’s daughter who stole it and only returned the money after she saw her cousin’s legs had been scalded.

In her ruling, Temba said the four accused had fully participated in the crime.

“Like in a relay race, each of them played a distinct part in the unbroken chain of events that ran from eight and nine in the morning to about 5.30pm,” Temba ruled. The court said their action of tying the girl onto rafters of a roof and suspending her body above a raging fire was deadly and inhumane.

Most people in the courtroom were relieved and happy with the sentence. And Mbusiro, who is still nursing her physical and psychological wounds, was happy with the sentence.

Speaking with The Standard on phone, Mbusiro expressed her joy over the ruling.

“Even if they cannot feel that pain I felt when they were burning me, the sentence is fine. They can learn a lesson that the law is there for all,” she said.

She is now under the care of Childtrust charity in Kisumu.

Her legal representatives Liz Nyambura and Lydia Kwamboka said the verdict was a lesson to all perpetrators of such crimes.