Wamuzi News Ke
In a harrowing case that has sent shockwaves through the community, two men have been handed a staggering 30-year prison sentence for their heinous crimes involving a minor and the deliberate transmission of HIV.
Ezekiel Tanui and Derick Kirui were found guilty of sodomy under the Sexual Offenses Act, alongside the sinister act of knowingly spreading the virus, violating Section 26(1) of the Sexual Offenses Act No. 3 of 2006.
The chilling details of their actions reveal a disturbing pattern, with incidents occurring repeatedly from October 20, 2023, to November 17, 2023, in Baraka Village, near Kericho town, where they preyed on a vulnerable 16-year-old boy.
During a closed session, the victim bravely recounted his ordeal to Kericho Principal Magistrate Frederick Nyakundi. He had ventured from Kipkelion to Kericho for the Mashujaa Day festivities, only to find himself stranded and broke after the event at Kericho Stadium.
It was then that he crossed paths with Tanui, who masqueraded as a friendly face. Offering him shelter in his cramped single-room rental at Baraka Estate, the nightmare began.
Throughout that harrowing night, the victim described how both Tanui and Kirui sexually assaulted him, ignoring his desperate pleas for help as they engaged in their vile acts. They refused to use any protection and coerced him to stay put while they went out to scrounge for bus fare.
This cycle of abuse continued unabated for an entire month until law enforcement, acting on a tip-off, swooped in and arrested the predators on November 17, 2023.
In the damning ruling delivered on Friday, Magistrate Nyakundi emphasized the prosecution’s compelling case, supported by irrefutable evidence. Each perpetrator received a heavy sentence of 30 years, with no option for a fine.
“This court is left with no doubt about the credibility of the complainant’s testimony, which was corroborated by additional witnesses, leaving no room for uncertainty regarding the defendants’ guilt,” he declared.
Yet, the court has allowed the defendants a window of 14 days to challenge this verdict, as they ponder their next steps in the face of overwhelming evidence.
