A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after being convicted of repeatedly sodomizing a Grade 9 pupil in a deeply disturbing case.
Lukman Ismail Athman was found guilty of defilement contrary to section 8(1), as read with section 8(3), of the Sexual Offences Act No. 3 of 2006.
The accused, alias Jelal, was also convicted for an alternative charge of committing an indecent act with a child under section 11(1) of the same Act.
The offenses occurred over several days, between November 14 and 24, 2024, at the Paradise area in Langoni Location, Lamu Central Sub-County.
The court heard that the victim’s mother had offered shelter to the man and his cousin, who was visiting from Somalia.
The victim recounted how the accused began the abuse the night after his cousin departed.
While sleeping in the common room, he awoke to find himself naked and the offender physically harassing him. He added that when he refused, the accused threatened him and forced his way.
“I was scared to speak out. He threatened to kill me if I told anyone,” the boy told the court.
The abuse continued the next day and it was only after the mother saw the accused coming out of the room and questioned her son that the truth came out.
During sentencing, the court also heard impact statements from both the victim and his mother.
The minor described the emotional toll; isolation from peers, a loss of trust in adults, and being blamed by his own mother with his social life severely restricted, reducing his routine to school and home.
The mother wept as she revealed the incident fractured her relationship with her husband and led to her second divorce.
She described the shame and guilt she carries. “I welcomed him into our house. I trusted him. And now I’ve lost everything, my marriage, my peace, and my son’s innocence,” she said.
Delivering the verdict, Principal Magistrate Peter Wasike emphasized that all elements of the offense were proven beyond reasonable doubt by the prosecution, led by Prosecution Counsel Idris Kipruto Tomno.
Hon. Wasike ruled that the nine prosecution witnesses gave corroborating testimonies.
“The law exists to protect the most vulnerable, especially children. This court will not hesitate to deliver the harshest penalties to those who prey on them.” the magistrate ruled.
