A man in Kisumu County has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of defiling and physically assaulting his 10-year-old daughter.
Maseno Magistrate Lucas Ikapolon found the man guilty of defilement under Section 8(1), read with Section 8(2) of the Sexual Offences Act, as well as cruelty to a child under Section 152(1)(a) of the Children Act, 2022.
The prosecution, led by Prosecution Counsel Victor Kipng’etich, presented evidence that the offences occurred on various dates between January 2026 and May 18, 2026, in Kisumu Sub-County.
The accused denied the charges, prompting the prosecution to call six witnesses to support its case. Among them was a clinical officer whose testimony linked the child’s injuries to the alleged abuse.
Medical evidence presented in court indicated that the minor had suffered an injury to her right eye and blunt trauma to her lower abdomen, findings consistent with the reported physical assault.
The court heard that on May 18, 2026, the accused allegedly returned home while intoxicated, approached the child’s bedroom while naked and threatened her against disclosing what happened. He then defiled and assaulted her before burning her clothes, according to the prosecution’s evidence.
Following the incident, the girl fled the home and sought safety at a neighbour’s residence. When she returned to school the next day, she reported the alleged abuse to her teachers.
The school’s headteacher subsequently contacted a children’s officer and the police, who arranged for the minor to receive medical examination and treatment.
In his ruling, Magistrate Ikapolon said the prosecution had established the charges beyond reasonable doubt, noting that the accused’s denial did not create reasonable doubt when assessed against the evidence presented.
The court consequently convicted him of both defilement and cruelty to a child and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
The convict has 14 days to appeal the decision.
