Nine of 10 defilement cases in Coast done by close relatives and neighbours

Most defilement cases at the Coast are committed by relatives, neighbours or other trusted individuals known to the victim, court records show. [iStockphoto]

The recent jailing of a young man for 20 years in prison for defiling a classmate underscores the legal recognition that children are vulnerable to exploitation by individuals in positions of trust.

In his verdict, Justice Benjamin Njoroge of Kwale Court said that grooming minors by adults, including relatives and family friends, before exploiting them was an offence under the Sexual Offences Act.