Narok duo found guilty in early marriage case

Two men in Narok have been fined Sh150,000 after their were found guilty of subjecting a girl, 14, to early marriage.

The child's father, Tipila ole Topusat, and Philip ole Kipila were brought before Narok Senior Resident Magistrate Allan Sitati where Mr Topusat was fined Sh100,000. Kipila was fined Sh50,000 plus three months' imprisonment.

The court heard that the duo committed the offence on January 8, 2015 at Emurua Dikirr village, Narok South after the father allowed his daughter to move into Mr Kipila's house as his wife.

While issuing the sentence, the magistrate said Topusat was charged with two counts of subjecting the minor to early marriage contrary to Section 14 as read with Section 20 of the Children's Act and abdicating his parental duties.

Mr Sitati said the evidence before the court as well as the witness accounts proved beyond any reasonable doubt that the two committed the offence.

"The father of the girl, Tipila ole Topusat, will be fined Sh50,000 for the first count and a similar amount for the second count or 15 months imprisonment while the suitor, Philip Kipila, will be fined Sh50,000 plus three months or nine months imprisonment to serve as a lesson," said Sitati.

The court heard that the father had allowed his child to leave home and live with Kipila as his wife but the residents raised the alarm and the two were arrested by AP officers from Ololunga Police Post.