Man sentenced to 35 years in jail for defiling stepdaughter

A Nyeri Court has sentenced a man to 35 years in jail for defiling his 12-year-old stepdaughter.

Senior resident magistrate Mary Gituma convicted SMN of the offense of incest contrary to section 20 (1) of the sexual offense of 2006.

This is after the court found him guilty of defiling the minor on diverse dates between August 2, 2021, and December 5, 2021.

During the proceedings, the convict had denied the charges and had pleaded his innocence before eight witnesses who testified in the case implicated him in the crime.

The minor recounted how her stepfather sexually assaulted her while her mother had gone to the market on the fateful day.

"My father came to my room when my mother was away. He dragged me to his room removed my clothes and defiled me and threatened to kill me if I told anyone," the minor testified.

She stated that it was not the first time her father defiled her as he used to do so every time her mother went to the market.

The child's mother told the court her daughter shared her predicament with her teacher.

"I was called by the teacher and informed of this incident. I reported my husband to the police station and took my daughter to the hospital," the mother testified.

She told the court that the accused threatened to kill their children after the confrontation.

In his defense, SMN denied that he defiled his daughter. He told the court that he had problems with his wife, who was cheating on him.

He said that the wife wanted him to pay school fees for his brother-in-law.

He admitted that his house had two rooms and that the children slept in separate rooms.

In her judgment, Judge Gituma said the prosecution had proved its case against SMN.

"I have considered the accused person prayed for a lenient sentence. However, the victim was 12 years old, and the accused was her stepfather and was obligated to protect her. I sentence the accused to 35 years in prison," Magistrate Gituma stated.