Police officer sentenced to 15 years for defiling and impregnating minor

Howard Omwoha, a police officer attached at Rapogi Police Post in the dock at Migori Law court on August 29, 2023. He has been jailed for 15 years for defiling a minor. [Caleb Kiingwara, Standard]

A police officer has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for defiling and impregnating a 16-year-old teenager.

Howard Omwaha was found guilty of committing the offense between March and April 2021 at his house at the Rapogi Police post in Migori.

Ironically, the officer was stationed at the Gender desk that handles similar cases and had been trained to handle defilement victims and survivors.

On Tuesday, August 29, Migori Resident Magistrate Angela Munyuny described the police officer's actions as selfish against a minor.

According to Munyuny, the accused was a police officer at the time he committed the offense and he worked at the gender desk handling matters of a similar nature to the offense he faced.

"It is clear that the accused engaged the minor in a sexual act yet he knew very well that his actions were against the law and still went ahead and took the opportunity that presented itself and defiled the minor," the magistrate stated.

Omwaha is said to have defiled the minor between March and April 2021, after which he allegedly threatened the girl not to disclose his acts.

At the time of the incident, the wife of the police officer had engaged the minor to babysit her child while she was away.

During the trial, the court heard how the police officer changed into civilian clothes before demanding to sleep with the minor.

When the minor refused, he allegedly grabbed her by the hand and forced her into his bedroom before defiling her.

Munyuny in her judgment found that Omwaha gave the minor Sh1,000 to buy her silence.

"The minor was at the accused person's house looking after the child of the accused person upon the request of his wife," the judgment read in part.

Munyuny established that the minor got pregnant and has now delivered a child, and evidence showed the accused had offered to pay Sh3,000 to support the child and buy silence from the family.

She further found that the accused was well known to the minor and that the case was proved by the prosecution.

Before his sentencing, Omwaha pleaded for leniency saying that he had three children and two wives.

Munyunyu while issuing the sentencing cautioned the society against entertaining such selfish actions against the youth and minors.

"Fortunately the minor has continued with her studies. The accused is a first offender and the mitigation exercises judicial discretion and sentences him to 15 years," the magistrate concluded.