Man sentenced to life for defiling his 10-year-old daughter in Narok

A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of defiling his 10-year-old daughter in Narok County.

The sentence was handed down by Narok Chief Magistrate H. Nyaberi after the prosecution, led by Leone Wandera, proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said the offences occurred on different dates between 2024 and February 2026 in Bulla Kipangas, Narok Central.

The court heard that the accused intentionally sexually assaulted his daughter during the period covered by the charges.

In delivering the sentence, the magistrate considered the child's age, the relationship between the accused and the victim, as well as the evidence presented by the prosecution.

The court relied on the child's testimony, which placed the accused at the scene of the crime. Four other prosecution witnesses also provided evidence supporting the case.

The victim identified the accused as her biological father, a relationship the court said made the offence particularly serious because of the responsibility he had to protect the child.

"The court has considered the offence and the relationship between the accused and the complainant. This is a father and daughter relationship and as such, the accused was required to protect her, but instead he is the one who preyed on her," ruled Nyaberi.

The prosecution also presented medical evidence to support the child's account, including testimony from a doctor, a P3 form and treatment notes.

The medical documentation corroborated the allegations and formed part of the evidence considered by the court before reaching its decision.

The magistrate noted that the complainant was below 11 years old at the time of the offence, a factor that informed the sentence under Section 8(2) of the Sexual Offences Act.

The provision prescribes life imprisonment for a person convicted of defiling a child aged 11 years or younger.

The prosecution's case was built around the victim's testimony, corroborating witness accounts and medical evidence, which the court found sufficient to establish the accused's guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The ODPP said the case was prosecuted by Leone Wandera at the Narok Law Courts, where the prosecution presented evidence linking the accused to the offences.

The conviction and sentence add to cases prosecuted under Kenya's Sexual Offences Act, which provides penalties for sexual offences against children based on the victim's age.

Section 8 of the Sexual Offences Act criminalises the defilement of children and provides different penalties depending on their age.

Under Section 8(2), defilement involving a child aged 11 years or younger attracts a life sentence upon conviction.

The law recognises children as particularly vulnerable and places criminal responsibility on adults who engage in sexual acts with them.

In this case, the court considered the accused's position as the child's father, noting that the relationship carried an obligation to provide protection rather than expose the child to abuse.

The ODPP announced the outcome of the case on Tuesday, November 3, describing the conviction as the result of evidence presented by the prosecution at the Narok Law Courts.

The sentence brings the case to a conclusion at the trial court, with the accused facing life imprisonment following his conviction.