Three men found guilty of gang rape, robbery jailed for 150 years

Three men accused of robbery with violence and gang defilement have each been sentenced to 50 years in jail after they were found guilty by an Eldoret court.

The three were each sentenced to 30 years in jail after they were found guilty of robbery with violence and 20 years for gang rape by Eldoret Senior Principal Magistrate, Harrison Barasa on Tuesday.

Isaac Maiyo Bett, Gilbert Manse Lime and Josphat Kipruto Bett were accused of robbing a woman on July 3, 2016 at Bandari Village in Lugari Sub County within Kakamega County.

According to the charge sheet the three were alleged to have violently robbed the woman of a laptop, 2 Nokia and Samsung mobile phones, one DVD, one home theatre among other items all valued at Sh.200,000.

Senior Principal Magistrate, Harrison Barasa on convicting them on January 23 noted that the prosecution has proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.

“The prosecution has proved its case as against Bett, Lime and Kipruto beyond any reasonable doubt. I find them guilty and convict them under section 215 of the Criminal Procedure code”.

The Senior Principal Magistrate, sentenced each of the accused person 30 years in prison for each of the three counts of robbery with violence. The sentence will then run concurrently.

He further found the accused persons guilty of the offence of gang defiling three minors aged between 16- years and 17-years in their homestead on the same night of robbery with violence.

“The evidence from the witnesses proved and showed that the three suspects were part of the gang that raided their home. And from the blood samples collected didn't directly connect the accused persons but on the call of evidence is that no doubt that they defiled the minors,” he said.

On three counts of gang defilement which were the fourth, fifth and the sixth count, he sentenced each of the accused 20 years on each count. Barasa further stated that the sentence on gang defilement will run consecutively.

When delivering the sentences, the Magistrate said that the court considered evidence produced in court by prosecution in relation the nature of offences committed.

“I have considered your mitigation and the nature of the offences committed, on the first three counts of robbery with violence you will be sentenced for 30 years whereby the sentence will run concurrently. On three counts of gang defilement each one of you will serve a jail term of 20 years on each count, the sentence will run consecutively,” he ordered.

The three have 14 days to appeal the sentence.