A 30-year-old teacher in Kisii County has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for defiling a Grade 4 student.
The verdict was delivered on Wednesday, May 29, at the Principal Magistrate Court in Etago.
Principal Magistrate Vane Moguche found the teacher guilty of defiling the minor, contrary to Section 8 (1) (2) of the Sexual Offences Act.
The incident reportedly occurred between February and June 2023 within the school compound in Kisii.
According to the Act:
- “(1) A person who commits an act which causes penetration with a child is guilty of an offence termed defilement.
- (2) A person who commits an offence of defilement with a child aged eleven years or less shall upon conviction be sentenced to imprisonment for life.”
The prosecution stated that the teacher intentionally defiled the 8-year-old within a house in the school compound.
The minor testified in court that the first incident occurred after the teacher had completed his lesson. He dragged her to his house and defiled her repeatedly since then.
After the act, the teacher threatened to kill her if she spoke up. However, the minor later confided in the school headteacher, who reported the matter to the police, leading to the teacher’s arrest.
During sentencing, Magistrate Moguche described the incident as “revolting, heinous, and beastly.” She emphasized that the teacher, who was supposed to protect the learners under his care, instead exploited the victim in a callous manner.
“Here was a teacher who should protect the learners under his care. Instead, he took advantage of the victim in such a callous manner,” she added.
The key pieces of evidence leading to the teacher’s conviction were the testimony of the 8-year-old victim and the physical evidence of the defilement, both of which were sufficient to prove the teacher’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Consequently, the accused was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
