A 30-year-old man has been sentenced to one year jail term by a court in Nakuru, after he was found guilty of subjecting a minor to an early marriage in December 2013 in Likia location of Njoro Sub-county.
The charge sheet had indicated that George Muchiri, a farm help on December 10, 2013 was found living unlawfully with a minor, aged 16, contrary to section 14 as read with section 20 of the Children’s Act 2001.
The prosecution bench told the court under the precision of Senior Principal Magistrate Gerald Mutiso that at around 7pm at Likia trading centre on the said date and year, the accused was arrested by police from Likia Police post after the parents of the child had reported her missing, following a tip off from members of the public.
The court heard that the accused had enticed the minor with a farm work and that he had illegally stayed with her with intent of making her his wife against the law.
According to the prosecution, the accused had told his boss at the farm that the girl was her relative, and had come to visit him and also wanted to work as a farm help.
Witnesses had told the court during the hearing that the accused had been spotted with the minor on several occasions in local alcohol drinking joints claiming that he had married.
Although the girl had told the court that he was in love with the accused and never minded getting married to him, the prosecution advised the court to apply the law as the girl was an underage when the offence was committed.
The accused was given 14 days to appeal against the ruling.