Two sentenced to life imprisonment in defilement case

Two men from Kalabata Village in Baringo North Sub-County, Baringo County, have been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of defiling a 7-year-old girl.

The judgment was delivered at the Kabarnet Law Courts by Senior Principal Magistrate P. Koskey, following a successful prosecution by Counsel Collins Ogutu from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The convicted individuals, who were neighbours of the victim and worked as casual labourers at her grandmother’s home, committed the offences on multiple occasions in February 2025.

The abuse left the girl with severe physical injuries and long-term psychological trauma, making her frightened of returning to her grandmother’s residence.

The prosecution presented five witnesses, including the minor, as well as medical reports and other crucial evidence to back up the charges and confirm the offence of defilement.

After reviewing the case, the court ruled that the prosecution had presented compelling evidence proving the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt.

This conviction reflects the ODPP’s continuous commitment to protecting vulnerable members of society and providing justice for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.

This conviction comes on the same day regional justice leaders held the Second Joint Roundtable of Directors of Public Prosecutions and Inspectors General, where they reaffirmed their commitment to combating sexual and gender-based violence across East Africa.

The high-level meeting, attended by senior law enforcement and prosecutorial officials, focused on developing coordinated strategies to address the growing cross-border SGBV crisis.  

 Speaking at the meeting, Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Renson Ingonga, underscored the urgency of regional collaboration.

“Your presence reflects our collective commitment to tackling the most urgent and devastating forms of violence within our region,” Ingonga said.

Among the key resolutions were the creation of a Regional SGBV Strategy, formation of joint investigation teams and the establishment of an Integrated Regional Database of Convicted Sexual Offenders.

Leaders also advocated for trauma-informed justice systems, specialised courts and cross-sector training.

The roundtable called for measurable outcomes and clear timelines to ensure meaningful progress in the fight against SGBV.