A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after an Eldoret court found him guilty of defiling a 10-year-old boy.
Eldoret Principal Magistrate Caroline Wattimah convicted David Zakayo Ahilo after ruling that the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court heard that Ahilo lured the Grade Five pupil to his house in Teleview Estate, on the outskirts of Eldoret City, with a Ksh10 mandazi before sexually assaulting him and warning him not to disclose the incident.
The offence was committed on September 19, 2025, according to court documents.
In her judgment, Magistrate Wattimah cited the physical and psychological trauma suffered by the victim, who continues to receive counselling. A victim impact report indicated that the boy had developed chronic stomach pains, severe psychological distress and declining academic performance following the assault.
The report also highlighted stigma at school, where the victim was allegedly isolated and taunted by classmates.
The prosecution presented seven witnesses, including the victim and his mother. Ahilo, who was unrepresented, was arrested by officers from Langas Police Station after the boy’s family reported the incident.
During mitigation, Ahilo asked the court to consider the period he had spent at Eldoret GK Remand Prison. The court granted him 14 days to appeal the sentence.
