A 68-year-old widower who was found guilty of defiling his eight-year-old granddaughter and infecting her with a urinary tract infection (UTI) has been sentenced to serve 60 years in jail by a Kericho court.
Kericho Resident Magistrate Aziza Ajwang convicted Joseph Kiplangat Sigei of defiling the granddaughter on 10th December 2021 at Cheptembe village in Soin/Sigowet sub-county, of Kericho.
Sigei had also been charged with an alternative count of committing an indecent act with a minor.
The court heard that on the fateful day, the complainant, a Grade two pupil, was on her way to her uncle’s house at about 2pm when she was called by the accused who was standing outside his house. His house was along the road.
On arrival, the accused gave the complainant mangoes and sugar cane while engaging her in a talk where he told her that he loved her and wanted to engage in sexual intercourse with her.
The accused then proceeded to muffle the complainant on the mouth and removed her inner wear and defiled her on his bed.
He threatened to kill her if she dared report the matter to anyone and thereafter opened his door for her to leave his house.
The minor’s aunt noticed on the third day after the ordeal how the minor was walking with difficulty and decided to undress her and noted that her private parts had some whitish discharge and upon interrogating her the girl revealed that the grandfather had defiled her.
The court was told that the mother of the child was not aware her daughter was defiled because she would come back home late from work. The child was taken to Sigowet sub-county hospital where she was examined and treated and the matter reported to police.
A clinical officer who examined the minor told the court that the complainant had been defiled adding that there were bruises and lacerations on her genitals, her hymen was broken and she had contracted a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). A P3 tabled before the court confirmed that penetration had taken place.
In his defense, the accused gave an unsworn statement where he denied committing the offense without elaborating further.
In mitigation, the accused told the court that he was an orphan and a widower after his wife died in 2015 and he has a son who was to join Form-one but due to lack of school fees the boy was still at home.
However, the magistrate found the accused guilty and handed him a 60-year in jail.
“I find that the evidence adduced has confirmed beyond any reasonable doubt that the accused committed the act on the complainant who is a child aged eight years. I therefore find him guilty and convict him of defilement contrary to section 8(1) as read with section 8(2) of the Sexual Offences Act OF 2006 as charged,” ordered Ajwang.
The court reminded the accused of his right to appeal the sentence within 14 days if dissatisfied.
By Sarah Njagi
