Man pleads guilty to defiling and 'marrying’ teen

A 20-year-old man yesterday pleaded guilty to defiling an underage girl whom he admitted to have been cohabiting with for nearly a month.

Erick Akama maintained a plea of guilty even after being warned that the charges he was pleading to attracted a sentence of up to a minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment without an option of a fine.

According to court papers, the accused is said to have defiled the 17-year-old girl on diverse dates between July 12 and August 4 at their Khayega estate, Shinyalu sub-county.

On an alternative count, Akama pleaded guilty to committing indecent acts with a minor namely caressing her genitalia inappropriately.

Prosecutions counsel, Hilda Omondi, told the court that the Form Three complainant disappeared from her home on July 12 after she was sent to a nearby shopping center.

The court heard that she had met the accused who is her boyfriend who invited her to visit him in his house as a wife.

The two are said to have cohabited since then and are alleged to have received the blessings of Mr Akama’s parents who were living in the same compound.

The girl’s parents are said to have received a tip off from villagers that their daughter had been seen with the accused in his house.

After raiding the house, they found the complainant with the accused saying they had opted to stay together to start a family.

The girl was rushed to hospital where medical tests confirmed there was penetration. Post Rape Care and P3 Forms filled before Akama was arrested and charged.

He admitted both the charges and the prosecution facts as read to him. After insisting on a plea of guilty, he was convicted.

In his mitigation, the Standard Eight drop out told the court that he was remorseful and pleaded for leniency saying he was acting out of ignorance of the law.

Akama told the court that he was staying with an ailing grandmother who solely relied on his meagre wages for upkeep. 

“I know she is a school going student but she had told me she is turning 18 after the year ends. I seek to be forgiven and promise never to repeat the offence again,” said the accused.

He told the court that his family had accepted the girl as his wife and were prepared to later follow the due marriage procedure; proposal rejected by the girl’s parents.

The magistrate ordered for a pre-sentencing report from probation officers to be filed on August 25 when the case shall be mentioned.