By Dorothy Musyoka
A Kiambu court on Thursday sentenced two men to lengthy prison terms for defiling young girls in separate incidents.
Derrick Kitima, a 24-year-old Ugandan national, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after being found guilty of defiling a 13-year-old girl.
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP), the inhenious act occurred on August 12, 2023, in the Njiku area of Kiambu County.
“Derrick Kitima, aged 24 years, was found guilty of defiling the minor on August 12th ,2023 within Njiku area of Kiambu County. Kitima was jailed after prosecution presented five witnesses in court and proved its case beyond reasonable doubt,” stated the ODPP.
The prosecution presented five witnesses, whose testimonies helped prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.
Senior Principal Magistrate Hon. M.A. Opondo, while delivering the verdict, noted the profound psychological impact the crime had on the victim.
The court observed that the minor’s academic performance had significantly declined following the traumatic incident.
Magistrate Opondo directed that the girl receive specialized treatment and counseling to aid her recovery.
“The minor was affected psychologically and her performance in school had dropped and directed that the minor be taken to specialists for treatment and counseling,” stated Senior Principal Magistrate Opondo.
In a related case, the same court sentenced 59-year-old Joseph Makangu to 15 years in prison for defiling a 10-year-old girl.
The offense took place between December 2022 and January 2023 in Gituamba village, Kiambu County.
The prosecution called five witnesses to testify, and a victim impact statement highlighted the severe consequences of the crime on the young girl.
“The prosecution called a total of 5 witnesses, and before the accused was sentenced, a victim impact statement was filed where the court noted that the minor’s social life was affected and that she developed some complications on her private parts,” explained the ODPP.
The court noted that the victim’s social life had been severely affected, and she had developed medical complications as a result of the assault.
Like the first case, the court emphasized the psychological trauma endured by the minor and directed that she receive specialized medical treatment and counseling.
Both cases were prosecuted by Muriuki Sammy Munene, who commended the court for delivering justice to the victims.