Lamu: Donkey rider sentenced to 15 years in prison for defiling his cousin

A Lamu-based court has sentenced a 22-year-old donkey rider to 15 years in prison for defiling his 17-year-old cousin after luring him with the promise of money.

According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the incident occurred in Faza Island on April 19, 2025, where the convict, whose name was withheld for legal reasons, is said to have lured his cousin to a nearby madrassa and asked him to engage in sexual acts. 

The prosecution, through counsel Ahmed Omar Mohamed, told the court that the accused took the boy to the third floor, where he defiled him, before telling him to dress up and go home.

When he got home about an hour later, the victim's mother became suspicious after noticing paint on his hair and hands.

Scared to reveal what had happened, the boy remained mum but was persuaded to narrate the events after a relative, who is a police officer, questioned him privately. 

The officer recorded the events in a statement and took the boy to the hospital where medical examinations showed that he had suffered an anal tear and complained of rectal pain. 

The court heard that the doctor filled a P3 form indicating that the injuries were consistent with penetration and were about three to four days old.

In his defence, the accused provided an alibi and stated that he was at home watching television on the night of the incident. He also alleged that the victim's mother had a vendetta against him. 

After reviewing the evidence, Resident Magistrate Flavian Mulama deemed that the prosecution had proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused had violated Section 8 of the Sexual Offences Act.

“The accused was positively identified by the victim. There was sufficient lighting at the scene and they were well known to each other,” ruled the Magistrate.