Court hands Busia man life imprisonment for defiling girl, 4

A man from Malaba was on Wednesday sentenced to life in prison after he was found guilty of defiling a four-year-old girl.

Habert Ateri Masika, 52, was convicted by Busia Principal Magistrate Samson Temu for defiling and dumping in the bush the girl in Malaba, Busia in January 2018.

The magistrate termed the act inhumane and unlawful.

EVIDENCE

“You took her into your house, defiled her and later at midnight took her into the bush and left her to die but lucky enough God saved her,” Mr Temu he said in a packed court.

The magistrate said the evidence produced in court against the accused was undisputable.


The girl had earlier narrated to the court how Masika took him to his house, defiled her and took her to a nearby bush and left her there.

Just before he left, he warned the victim that he would kill her if she ever revealed what happened, the court heard.

The prosecution also brought other witnesses to testify including the woman who picked the girl in the bush.

A doctor's report also proved beyond reasonable doubt that Masika was indeed behind the beastly act.

To incriminate the sex pet even further, a pair of pants belonging to the young girl was found in his house.

The magistrate said the accused cannot be allowed to mingle freely in the society and hence the need for a harsh sentence to serve as a lesson to others and also to prevent him from doing more harm to other minors.

NO FREEDOM

“You are an adult whom the society entrusted with the responsibility to guide children, but you breached the trust. Individuals like you are not supposed to mingle freely in the society. I Therefore I hand you life imprisonment,” ruled Temu.

The girl's mother hailed the court for the ruling which she said it has ‘given her peace of mind’.

“For about two years I have frequented this court to seek justice for my daughter who was defiled and injured. Today I am a happy mother.

“I may not change the ordeal she went through but at least I am comforted that the court has jailed the perpetrator for life,” said the girl’s mother.