A 42-year-old man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after he was found guilty of defiling a teenage girl in Murang’a
Senior Resident Magistrate Susan Mwangi of the Murang’a law court said that Brian Kagondu committed the act on October 12, 2024, at Kahatia in Kahuro subcounty.
Witnesses presented before the court said the accused was known to the victim’s family, and he took advantage of the girl while she was left in the care of a relative.
The victim, aged 13 years old, disclosed the sexual abuse to her mother upon returning home, prompting the family to report the matter to the authorities.
In her testimony, the victim’s mother said she noticed changes in the victim’s appearance and walking style and suspected something was wrong before learning about the incident.
She further explained that the accused had defiled her daughter on multiple occasions.
One of the neighbours who had seen the accused near the victim’s home on several occasions testified that she had observed suspicious behaviour but did not suspect foul play until the victim spoke out.
The neighbour, JW, said it was difficult to suspect the accused, as she had known him to be a decent and respectful man in the community.
She described him as a man whom children liked for his pleasant nature, which made suspecting him unlikely.
In his defense, Kagondu denied the charges, claiming he was being framed because of his friendly nature with children.
He said the positive relationship he has with the children had been misinterpreted, leading to the false accusations.
Kagondu argued there was no direct evidence linking him to the crime and insisted that he had never been alone with the victim.
However, his defense was dismissed by the Magistrate.
“The evidence presented, including the victim's testimony and the medical findings, leaves no doubt about the guilt of the accused,” Mwangi said.
The medical report established that the victim had been defiled on multiple occasions, further strengthening the prosecution's case.
“The victim’s testimony, along with statements from key witnesses, provided a clear account of the events, which led to the conviction of the accused.
“Such crimes not only cause physical harm but also profoundly affect the mental state of the victim, leading to lasting psychological trauma.”
Kagondu pleaded for leniency, saying he has health issues and requested to be granted a non-custodial sentence.
He was given 14 days to appeal if dissatisfied with the judgement.
