A 30-year-old teacher in Kisii County has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for defiling a Grade 4 minor.

the verdict was delivered during a court session on Wednesday, May 29 at the Principal Magistrate Court in Etago.

Principal Magistrate Vane Moguche declared the teacher guilty of defiling the minor contrary to section 8 (1) (2) of the Sexual Offences Act.

The incident reportedly occurred between February and June 2023 within the school compound in Kisii.

“(1) A person who commits an act which causes penetration with a child is guilty of an offence termed defilement. (2) A person who commits an offence of defilement with a child aged eleven years or less shall upon conviction be sentenced to imprisonment for life”.

According to the prosecution, the teacher intentionally defiled the 8-year-old minor within a house in the school compound.

The minor testified in court that the first time it happened, the teacher had just completed his lesson, when he dragged her to his house and defiled her repeatedly since then.

After the act, the teacher threatened to kill her if she spoke up about it. However, the minor later confided in the school headteacher, who reported the matter to the police, leading to the teacher’s arrest.

During sentencing, Magistrate Moguche described the incident as “revolting, heinous, and beastly.” She emphasized that the teacher, who was supposed to protect the learners under his care, instead took advantage of the victim in a callous manner.

“Here was a teacher who should protect the learners under his care. Instead, he took advantage of the victim in such a callous manner,” she added.

The key pieces of evidence that led to the teacher’s conviction for defilement were the testimony of the 8-year-old minor victim and the physical evidence of the defilement which were both sufficient to prove the teacher’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

As a result, the accused was sentenced to 35 years imprisonment.