A Kilifi court has sentenced a 32-year-old barber to 15 years in prison after finding him guilty of raping a 21-year-old student, with witness accounts, medical findings and DNA evidence presented during the trial linking him to the offence.
In a judgment delivered by Chief Magistrate James N. Mwaniki, the court found that the prosecution had proved the charge against Mwakombe Katana Karisa beyond reasonable doubt and convicted him of rape.
The case was prosecuted by Principal Prosecution Counsel Winnie Atieno Otieno, who presented testimonial evidence alongside medical and forensic findings that prosecutors said firmly connected the accused to the crime.
Karisa had been charged with rape contrary to Section 3(1)(a)(c) of the Sexual Offences Act No. 3 of 2006 over an incident that occurred on July 10, 2024, at Kasameni Village in Kilifi County.
According to evidence presented in court, the 21-year-old student was on her way to school at about 6:00am when she was confronted by the accused.
The court heard that soon after the incident, the complainant met an independent witness and immediately reported what had happened.
Medical evidence produced during the hearing showed findings consistent with a recent sexual assault. Investigators also recovered biological material that was later subjected to forensic examination.
The court heard that DNA profiling "conclusively linked biological material recovered from the exhibits to the accused", corroborating the complainant's account and placing him at the scene of the crime.
Although Karisa denied the allegations and raised an alibi defence, the court ruled that the prosecution had presented overwhelming evidence identifying him as the offender.
While handing down the sentence, the court emphasized "the gravity of the offence and the need to protect vulnerable members of society from sexual violence".
Karisa was sentenced to 15 years in prison and granted 14 days to appeal both the conviction and sentence.