A 42-year-old man married to two wives has been sentenced to 30 years in jail by a Nakuru court for raping his neighbour’s 17-year-old girl.
John Karemi was found guilty of defiling the minor, who lives with physical disabilities, on July 10 2014, at Ndimu farm in Bahati sub-county.
While delivering the ruling, Nakuru resident magistrate Rita Amwayi said that witnesses who testified in court proved ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ that Karemi committed the offence.
“To deter others in the society from taking advantage of the vulnerable in the society, you are sentenced to 30 years in jail for the heinous act,” said Amwayi.
Karemi admitted visiting the girl’s home on the fateful day and found the minor alone in the homestead. The court heard that he enquired about the whereabouts of the mother and after being told that the mother was away visiting a patient at a Nakurul hospital, he proceeded to undress the helpless girl, whom he repeatedly defiled.
He allegedly threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident to her mother or any other relative. The minor, however, told her mother when she arrived.
The packed court was shocked on revelations that even after the mother informed her neighbours, no action was taken against the offender.
Instead, village elders summoned Karemi the following morning, who admitted the offence and sought forgiveness before they agreed to fine him. He reportedly parted with two goats and signed an agreement dated July 18 2014, showing that they had reconciled.
The court was further told that the mother later changed her mind and reported the incident to Mwariki police station. On learning about the turn of events, Karemi reportedly fled home. He was later intercepted by the police on July 29.