A man will spend the next seven years in prison after a Thika court found him guilty of raping a pregnant woman. Kennedy Gikunda, who appeared before chief magistrate Stephen Mbugi, was charged that on May 20 this year at Ereri village, Gituamba location, he raped the woman, whose name has been withheld. The prosecution told the court that on the material day at 8am, the complainant was guarding her cow in the bush when the accused, who was well known to her, passed by and left after greeting her. At 6pm, the same day, as the woman was driving her cow back home, she met with the accused who jumped and held her by the neck and threw her to the ground. The complainant started screaming but nobody was nearby to come to her rescue and the accused started raping her. The court further heard that Gikundi fled after committing the offence and the complainant sought help in a nearby homestead where a Good Samaritan helped her to go home. On arrival at home, she that noticed she was bleeding due to the act committed on her and was escorted to Thika level five referral hospital by a relative for treatment. Her husband went and reported the matter at the Thika police station and was issued with a P3 form which was completed by the medic who treated his wife. The accused was later arrested and charged with the offence. The accused denied the offence and told the magistrate that he did not know the complainant and was being fixed for the charge presented before the court. However, the magistrate considered the testimonies and the P3 form presented in court and found the accused guilty of the offence. He was given 14 days to appeal against the sentence.

Do you have a lead on a newsworthy story? Share news tips with us here at Hivisasa!