Man, 40, jailed for life for defiling ten-year-old girl
Cliphas Otieno when he appeared before Rongo Senior Resident Magistrate Raymond Langat on June 13, 2022. He was handed a life sentence for defiling a 10-year-old g.
Rongo law courts have sentenced a 40-year-old man to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of defiling a 10-year-old girl.
Cliphas Otieno alias Kili was found to have defiled the minor at Anindo village in Awendo Sub County on the morning of November 26, 2020.
He was arrested days later and charged with defilement contrary to Section 8 (1) of the Sexual Offences Act.
According to court documents, Otieno had denied two counts of defilement and engaging in an indecent act with a child.
He has been in custody after failing to raise the requisite bond of Sh100,000 with a surety of a similar amount.
But on Monday, Rongo Senior Resident Magistrate Raymond Langat slapped Otieno with a punitive sentence after evidence adduced proved his guilt.
“I have considered the entire evidence on record as well as the defence raised by the accused person. For the prosecution to sustain a conviction, the age of the minor has to be proven as well as, penetration and whether the accused person was the perpetrator,” Mr Langat noted while reading his sentencing.
According to the magistrate, the age assessment that was conducted and produced in the court indicated that the victim was indeed a minor aged 10 years.
Positively identified the suspect
He further noted that medical examination conducted at Awendo Sub County where the minor war rushed to further pointed out that she had been defiled.
“The court established that the victim was crawling on the ground at the time of being rescued after sustaining serious injuries that made her unable to walk,” Mr Langat further said.
The minor also positively identified the suspect as a next-door neighbour, further implicating Otieno in the offences.
In mitigation, the suspect pleaded for a reduction of the sentence citing the long time he has been on remand and a young family he has left behind.
“I have considered all the facts raised but the accused person being an adult of sound mind took the advantage of the minor and stole her innocence. This child will live the rest of her life in trauma she underwent in the hands of the accused,” noted Mr Langat.
“In the view of the aforementioned, I find that the accused person does not deserve any mercy given the grave offence he committed to this innocent child. I, therefore, sentence the accused to serve life imprisonment. He, however, has 14 days to appeal,” Mr Langat ruled.
