By Betty Luke
Parents of a 12-year-old Ann Mwende (not her real name) would never imagine that their separation would expose their daughter to a horrible ordeal that would leave her with a lifetime scar and make her father’s best friend spend 15 years behind bars.
After parting ways several years ago, the mother shifted from their Ruiri home in Tigania West, Meru County to work in Isiolo and tagged her daughter along.
The naive Mwende would later go to live with her dad who worked as a watchman at a nearby Rei Primary School.
But the third born in a family of four had no idea of the danger ahead while she accustomed herself to the new but former environment and interacted with her father’s friend Jacob Mwiti Ntoiti, a neighbour who frequented their home and often sent her to the shop to buy items.
Not knowing what lay ahead, Mwende would on March 17, 2019 be sent by the father to borrow a rope at Mr Mwiti’s home only to be taken advantage of by the man who she respected and trusted and who she referred to as ‘uncle’.
Mr Mwiti is said to have grabbed the girl while leaving the homestead and forced her into his house where he defiled her while covering her mouth not to raise an alarm and threatened to kill her if she revealed what transpired.
The girl would then report the incident to the father who went out searching for the perpetrator who immediately went into hiding after committing the crime.
The following day, the minor’s grandmother who lived within the same compound sent the girl to the suspect’s home to borrow a rope again only to bump into the man standing outside the house.
Like previously, he pushed the innocent girl into the room and ordered her to lie on the bed before defiling her.
The girl would the next day share the ordeal with one of the teachers who noticed that she had difficulties walking while in school prompting the arrest of the criminal.
A medical examination at Isiolo Teaching and Referral Hospital showed that the girl had been defiled as had broken hymen and discharge on her pants.
When first arraigned in April 2019, the suspect pleaded not guilty to defilement and indecent act charges.
The court, two months ago, found that Mr Mwiti had a case to answer.
The prosecution appealed to the court to sentence the accused to a jail term of not less than 20 years for taking advantage of the fact that the girl’s parents had separated and his close relationship with the father to defile her.
Mr Mwiti sought leniency and pleaded with the court to reduce the proposed jail term by the prosecution.
Isiolo Chief Magistrate Samwel Mungai October 1, 2021 found him guilty of defilement and jailed him for 15 years.
While delivering the ruling, Mr Mungai said a deterrent sentence was necessary as the suspect was fully aware that the minor was vulnerable and incapable of protecting herself from abuse and exploitation.
