A Malindi man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after a court found him guilty of defiling a seven-year-old boy in Kilifi County.
Justin Karisa Thoya was convicted by Malindi Resident Magistrate Eva Mirriam Adhiambo over the incident, which occurred on June 14, 2025, in the Jacaranda area of Malindi Sub-county. The court heard that Thoya lured the child into bushes while he was out grazing livestock, under the pretext of searching for another cow.
In his testimony, the boy told the court that Thoya sexually assaulted him before warning him not to disclose what had happened, allegedly threatening his life. The child later confided in his mother, who took him to hospital for medical attention. His mother told the court that the boy had informed her of the assault at the grazing grounds.
A medical officer who examined the child testified that he had been brought to hospital complaining of defilement. The examination revealed swelling and pain around the anus, with the doctor concluding that there had been anal penetration.
The prosecution, led by counsel Ahmed Omar, presented four witnesses in support of the case. An investigating officer also produced the child’s birth certificate to establish his age.
In her judgment, Magistrate Adhiambo ruled that the prosecution had established the child’s age, identified Thoya as the perpetrator and proved penetration beyond reasonable doubt. “I am satisfied that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused person defiled the complainant,” the magistrate ruled.
Thoya was convicted of defilement contrary to Section 8(1), as read with Section 8(2), of the Sexual Offences Act and sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment. The court granted him 14 days to appeal against both the conviction and sentence. The case had been delayed after Thoya absconded while out on bond for eight months. Malindi DCI officers, working with Kizingo police officers, eventually traced him to Hindi in Lamu County and arrested him.
Following his arrest, the court cancelled his bond, allowing the trial to proceed to its conclusion.
