A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for defiling a seven-year-old boy in Vivalani Village, Lungalunga Sub-County, Kwale County.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) identified the offender as Athumani Juma, who was convicted at the Msambweni Senior Principal Magistrate’s Court after the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
According to the DCI, the offence occurred on June 7, 2025, when Juma allegedly lured the child to his house with a promise of sweets before sexually abusing him and threatening him against disclosing the incident.
EACC
The child initially kept the ordeal secret, confiding only in his brothers. However, a relative later noticed a troubling physical condition and sought an explanation.
On June 14, 2025, the boy disclosed the abuse and identified Juma, a water vendor known to him, as the perpetrator.
The matter was subsequently reported to the police, while members of the public apprehended the suspect before handing him over to law enforcement officers.
Investigators gathered evidence that formed the basis of the prosecution’s case. During the trial, five prosecution witnesses testified, while Juma denied the charge and claimed that he had been framed.
The court found the child’s testimony credible and consistent, with medical evidence corroborating his account.
The magistrate consequently found the prosecution had established the offence beyond reasonable doubt.
On October 5, 2026, Juma was convicted of defilement contrary to Section 8(1), as read with Section 8(2) of the Sexual Offences Act, and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Following the conviction, the DCI urged members of the public to report suspected cases of child abuse promptly to the nearest police station.
