Man turns to cow, saying he is late in marrying

By Murimi Mwangi and Wainaina Ndung’u

A 35-year-old man who told a magistrate that he had committed a bestiality act because he was late in marrying was handed a maximum jail sentence for the offence in Nyeri County.

Shortly after he was convicted, Jackson Kiruga told Mukurwe-ini senior principal magistrate Wendy Kagendo in his mitigation that he wished to inform the court that he had marrried late.

Said the perplexed magistrate: “The court has noted the interesting mitigation by the accused. Is it that he intended to marry the cow or was it an alternative?”

“The court notes that moral standards in Mukurwe-ini and country have declined and deterrence is needed. I will therefore give you the maximum sentence of 14 years,” said the magistrate.

Ann Wanjiru Nyaga the owner of the cow said she was happy with the sentence and hoped it would be a lesson to others. The accused had denied committing the heinous act at Mihuti village on July 24 this year.

The court heard that he was caught in the act by the owner who was going to milk the cow at 5.00am but was dumbfounded to fi nd the accused “servicing” the Freshian cow. The complainant told the court that the accused was so engrossed in the act with his trousers on his knees that he did not notice her until she raised alarm, attracting other members of the public . The pair of trousers, a jumper and a hooded hat belonging to the accused and smeared with cowdung and cow hair were produced in court as exhibits. A veterinary offi cer who examined the cow testified that he found traces of human hair and bruises on its reproductive organs.