By Grace Gilo
A football coach today appeared before a Mombasa court and was charged with defiling a 12-year-old player.
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Mbarak Swaleh, alias Coaches, was arraigned before Senior Resident Magistrate Hon. David Odhiambo, facing a charge of defilement contrary to Section 8(1) as read with Section 8(3) of the Sexual Offences Act No. 3 of 2006.
“Hon. Odhiambo heard that Swaleh committed the offence on diverse dates between January 2025 and August 14, 2025, at the Fort Jesus football field area in Mvita Sub-County, Mombasa County,” stated the ODPP.
The accused pleaded not guilty to both counts.
ODPP revealed that it was alleged that the football trainer intentionally and unlawfully abused the minor sexually during football training sessions.
Swaleh was also charged with an alternative count of committing an indecent act with a child, contrary to Section 11(1) of the Sexual Offences Act.
The court heard that the accused lured the Grade Six pupil into a storeroom under the pretext of retrieving training equipment before repeatedly defiling him.
The ODPP further revealed that he allegedly applied a substance he described as “power shot oil” on the child, claiming it would enhance his athletic performance, before escalating the encounters into repeated sexual assault.
The matter came to light on the 16th of August 2025 when the boy confided in his mother about the ordeal.
“She later confronted other coaches at the club in the presence of the child, who repeated the allegations before them,” ODPP added.
The incident was reported to police, leading to the suspect’s arrest, with medical examination confirming the minor’s complaint of sexual abuse.
Magistrate Odhiambo granted him a bond of Sh500,000 with a surety of a similar amount.
The court further ordered him to provide two contact persons who may be reached in the event he fails to attend court proceedings when the hearing begins.
The case will be mentioned on September 8, 2025.