A Nairobi court has sentenced a 36-year-old man to life in prison for defiling his 13-year-old daughter, in a case that has drawn strong condemnation from the bench.
Principal Magistrate Zainab Abdul of the Kibera Law Courts said the evidence left no room for doubt. She described the man’s actions as “a complete lack of humanity” and imposed the maximum penalty allowed under Kenyan law.
In addition to the life sentence, the convict will serve five more years for cruelty. The court heard that he repeatedly assaulted the child, using a knife to inflict injuries and pinching her ears with pegs. “Defiling one’s own daughter is the ultimate betrayal of parental duty,” Magistrate Abdul said as she delivered the ruling.
The case came to light after the girl was rescued and placed in a children’s home. There, she confided to a social worker that her father had been abusing her. Medical reports and testimony from witnesses supported her account, with the court commending the prosecution for its thorough presentation of evidence.
The additional five-year sentence will remain in abeyance while the convict serves his life term.
Kenya’s courts have in recent years taken a firm stance on cases of sexual violence against children, often handing down the maximum penalty in an effort to deter offenders. Rights groups say such rulings are vital in a country where cases of incest and child defilement, though widely underreported, remain a serious concern.
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