Kilifi pastor jailed 30 years for defiling 15-year-old cousin

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 28 — A Kilifi pastor has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after he was convicted of defiling his 15-year-old cousin twice, with the court hearing that he used fasting, prayers and claims of a divine vision to gain access to the minor.

The pastor was convicted of defilement contrary to Section 8(1) as read with Section 8(3) of the Sexual Offences Act, 2006, over offences committed on diverse dates between June 2023 and February 2024.

Chief Magistrate James Mwaniki found that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and rejected the pastor’s defence.

“I find merits in the prosecution’s case on the principal charge of defilement. The accused person is hereby sentenced to serve 30 years’ imprisonment,” Mwaniki ruled.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP)said the case centred on the relationship of trust between the accused, a pastor at the church where the girl worshipped, and the minor, who was also his cousin.

According to evidence presented in court, the girl accepted an invitation from the pastor to fast with him and his wife for what she understood to be spiritual cleansing.

She later asked to return home to have her hair plaited, but the pastor allegedly insisted that she remain at his house and do it there.

The court heard that she was served supper and slept in a room with the pastor’s two children.

She testified that she was later awakened when the pastor and his wife entered the room. The court heard that the wife allegedly covered the girl’s mouth while the pastor defiled her.

The pastor allegedly threatened to kill her if she disclosed what had happened.

The girl returned home the following morning but, according to the evidence, was too traumatised to tell her mother about the incident.

The court heard that about two weeks later, the pastor allegedly followed the minor and persuaded her to return to his home for another session of prayers and fasting.

He allegedly told her that the prayers would prevent her from marrying a non-Christian after completing school, claiming to have received a divine vision.

The two later fasted and prayed at his church before the pastor invited the girl and another girl to his home for evening tea.

The other girl was subsequently sent home, leaving the complainant behind to wait for special night prayers.

The court heard that the pastor later defiled her for a second time while she was asleep with his children.

Months later, the girl discovered that she was pregnant.

Her mother reported the matter to police, after which the girl was taken to hospital, and the pregnancy was confirmed.

A government analyst subsequently presented DNA evidence in court showing a 99.9 per cent probability that the pastor was the biological father of the complainant’s newborn child.

The DNA evidence formed part of the prosecution’s case linking the accused to the offence.

Court rejects pastor’s defence

In his defence, the accused initially denied committing the offence before admitting that he had sexual intercourse with the minor.

He claimed, however, that he had been coerced and did not know the girl’s age.

The court rejected the explanation, describing the defence as baseless and an afterthought.

The prosecution was led by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Winnie Atieno Otieno.

Mwaniki has 14 days to appeal against both the conviction and sentence.