Man jailed 20 years for defiling 14-year-old girl

A man has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for defiling a 14-year-old girl.

Kakamega Law Courts found Hassan Musomi alias Moris Likhanga guilty of defiling the minor in a sugarcane plantation at Ivihiga village, lunyu sub-location in March last year.

Senior Resident Magistrate Viena Amboko while sentencing the accused noted that section 8(1) as read with 8(3) of the Sexual Offences Act provides for a sentence not less than 20 years imprisonment.

"I sentence the accused person to 20 years imprisonment. The period to commence from March 27 last year when he was placed in remand pending trial," said Amboko.

The magistrate also said that she considered the pre sentencing report which recommends a custodial sentence.

"I have considered the accused person's mitigation and also that he is a first offender. The accused has the right to appeal in 14 days," he said.

The court heard that the accused saw the complainant with a boy and threatened to report her to the mother if she didn't have sex with him.

He (accused) then held her hand and pulled her to the sugarcane plantation and defiled her.

The prosecution presented five witnesses including the victim.

State prosecutor Duncan Mbonzo said the minor reported the matter to her mother immediately after the incident and action was taken against the accused.

In mitigation, Musomi pleaded for leniency saying that he was framed.

"I plead for leniency. I am a father of six and cannot commit such offence to a child because I also have children of her age. I urge the court to accord me a chance to serve a non-custodial sentence," he said.