A Kilifi pastor has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after a court found him guilty of repeatedly defiling his 15-year-old cousin, who later became pregnant.
The offences occurred on different dates between June 2023 and February 2024. The pastor was convicted under Section 8(1) as read with Section 8(3) of the Sexual Offences Act. Chief Magistrate James Mwaniki ruled that the prosecution had established the case beyond reasonable doubt. The prosecution was led by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Winnie Atieno Otieno.
According to evidence presented in court, the teenager worshipped at the church where the accused served as a pastor. She agreed to join him and his wife for a period of fasting and prayer after he told her it was intended for spiritual cleansing. During one of the visits to his home, the girl was allegedly sexually assaulted. The court heard that she was threatened with death and remained silent about the incident after returning home.
The prosecution further told the court that the pastor later persuaded her to return to his home for another period of prayer and fasting. He reportedly told her that the prayers were necessary to prevent her from eventually marrying someone who was not a Christian. The teenager was later left alone with the pastor after another girl who had accompanied her was sent home. She was subsequently sexually assaulted for a second time.
Months later, the girl discovered that she was pregnant. Her mother reported the matter to the police, after which the teenager underwent a medical examination. DNA analysis subsequently linked the pastor to the child, with a government analyst informing the court that there was a 99.9 percent probability that he was the biological father.
In his defence, the accused initially denied having committed the offence. He later acknowledged having sexual intercourse with the teenager but claimed that he had been coerced and was unaware of her age. The court rejected his explanation, describing it as baseless and an afterthought.
In sentencing him, Magistrate Mwaniki ordered that he serve 30 years in prison. He was also informed that he had 14 days within which to appeal against both his conviction and sentence.
