Woman who beat girl for revealing HIV status jailed

A woman has been sentenced to six months in prison for assaulting her 13-year-old daughter.

The woman is said to have inflicted injuries on the girl after she (daughter) alerted her mother's lovers that she (the mother) was HIV positive.

The accused is said to have committed the offence last December 25 at Kosoki Village in Likuyani sub-county, Kakamega.

Senior Principal Magistrate Harrison Barasa ruled: “Having considered the nature of the offence herein and the circumstances under which it was committed, and having considered what the accused told the court in mitigation, I hereby sentence the accused to pay a fine of Sh20,000 and in default six months in prison”.

A probation report presented in court indicated that the woman, who is separated from her husband, was in the habit of mistreating the girl, and had at one occasion threatened to kill her.

“She assaulted her with a sufuria and a stick that caused deep cuts and injuries on her face and head… on numerous occasions, both in her current village and the previous one, the offender threatened to kill the same child, blaming her for her failed marriages and relationships,” the report stated.

“…while living in Bomet, she used to give her young daughter to men for financial gain and later married her off when she was still a minor,” added the report.

The accused is said to have separated from her husband after she poured hot water on him, causing serious burns. The Standard could not independently establish this.

The probation officer asked the court to hand the accused a custodial sentence. “It is our conclusion that the offender has no slightest interest of her children at heart. Despite her knowing her HIV status, she bit her daughter twice on her hand, knowing she could infect her with HIV,” read the report.

In mitigation, the woman told court she was a mother of six, including a one-month-old baby, and asked for forgiveness.

“I will not repeat the offence,” she promised.