A man who defiled his 16-year-old orphaned niece in Kericho County has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after a court found him guilty of sexually abusing the minor he was entrusted to care for.
The sentence was secured by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) following a full trial at the Kericho Law Courts.
The case was prosecuted by Principal Prosecution Counsel Mercy Chelangat before Resident Magistrate Hon. Odunga.
According to the prosecution on Friday, October 9, 2026, the offences occurred on August 16 and 23, 2025, in Kimwokit Village, Kalyongwet Sub-location, Kaborok Location, Belgut Sub-County.
“The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has secured a 30-year prison sentence for a man convicted of defiling his 16-year-old orphaned niece, whom he was entrusted to care for.”
“The sentence followed a full trial prosecuted by Principal Prosecution Counsel Mercy Chelangat before Resident Magistrate Hon. Odunga at the Kericho Law Courts,” part of the ODPP statement read.
The court heard that on August 16, the minor was heading to a posho mill when the accused called her into his house, dragged her into his bedroom and defiled her.
Suspect’s threats to the minor
He allegedly threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident.
The girl later reported the ordeal to her grandmother, who is the accused’s mother. However, the grandmother allegedly warned her against revealing what had happened.
The girl screamed for help, attracting another uncle who intervened and rescued her.
Fearing that her grandmother would not help her, the minor approached a village elder the following morning and narrated what had happened. The elder accompanied her to Sosiot Police Station, where the matter was reported.
“On 23rd August 23 2025, the accused allegedly accosted the minor in her grandmother’s kitchen and began indecently touching her while removing her clothes. The minor screamed for help, attracting another uncle who intervened and rescued her.”
The accused was later arrested by members of the public in Bomet County on November 10, 2025, where he had reportedly been hiding. He was subsequently escorted to Sosiot Police Station.
During the trial, the prosecution presented testimony from the complainant and five other witnesses to support the charges.
In its determination, the court found that the accused had abused the trust placed in him as a caregiver and exploited the vulnerability of his orphaned niece instead of providing her with safety, protection and guidance.
The ODPP announced the sentence in a statement shared on its official social media account on Friday, October 9, 2026.
