By B, KNA
A 63-year-old man was on Thursday sentenced to serve a seven-year imprisonment term by a Murang’a court after he was found guilty of defiling a young girl aged 12 years.
Murang’a Resident Magistrate, Soy Mwangi, convicted the accused, Robinson Maina Karwigi for the defilement that occurred on August 26, 2024 in a village within Murang’a East Sub County.
The court heard that on the material day, the accused lured the minor’s younger brother to get his sister to come to his house by giving him Sh80 and a plate of stale githeri which enabled him to commit the abuse.
According to the girl’s mother, her daughter came back home late at around 9pm asked about where she had been since the time she had been told to fetch water earlier during the day.
It was after threatening her with a beating that she opened up, revealing that she had been at the accused’s house and further revealed how the accused proceeded to defile her after giving another Sh215 to her younger brother.
On the other hand, the minor further said, she was taken to the accused’s bedroom where he undressed her and proceeded to sexually assault her.
The girl’s mother further told the court that she later took her daughter to Murang’a Level 5 hospital where they were issued with a medical examination report that confirmed that the victim was sexually assaulted.
This account of events was corroborated by the victim’s younger brother, who testified that Karwigi had indeed asked him to fetch his sister by giving him food and the Sh80 and thereafter, he was given another Sh215 and asked to leave his sister behind with the accused.
The brother of the complainant also revealed before the court that he had also been instructed by the accused to bring other girls to his house earlier on.
A clinical officer who examined the minor at Murang’a hospital confirmed that the victim was sexually assaulted according to laboratory test results.
The accused denied the charges and, in his defense, he claimed that he was framed by the victim’s mother because of a botched attempt to benefit from his land failed.
However, the magistrate noted, having carefully considered the evidence on record the court found the accused’s assertion unsubstantiated.
“The victim remained consistent and credible throughout her testimony and the community members’ concerns based on reports about previous defilement cases, the court had found him guilty and a threat to the community therefore denying him a non-custodial sentence.”
Karwigi was sentenced to a seven-year imprisonment term, however, the sentence will be reduced by the number of days he has spent in remand.