A 30-year-old pastor has been sentence to 25 years in prison after a Kitale court found him guilty of defiling and killing a Form Four student.
Justice Hillary Chemitei said that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Charles Nyanchwara Okere defiled and murdered the student eight years ago in Naisambu, Trans Nzoia County.
The convict had been charged with defiling the student and released on bond. He tracked down the girl, who was five months pregnant, and killed her.
Mathew Kipkeu, a retired teacher, testified before the court that he witnessed the convict attack the girl on a roadside.
“He ran away when I went to help the girl but he was apprehended by another passer-by who chased after him,” Mr Kipkeu testified.
He said the girl died before she was taken to hospital.
Paul Mmbihi, the victim’s father, told the court that he knew the convict as a pastor at a local church in the village, who had defiled and impregnated his daughter.
In his defence, the convict claimed the girl was his fiancé and that her family were opposed to their wedding plans, because he came from a different ethnic group.
“She told me that her parents had refused the marriage plans and that she was going to take her on life. I saw her pull a knife from her handbag and she stabbed herself,” he explained.
Following the ruling, the victim’s father said he was satisfied with the court’s judgement.
“There is no amount of punishment that can bring back my daughter. I only wanted justice for her. My family has suffered a lot of pain,” he told the members of the press outside the court.
The convict has 14 days to appeal.
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