50-Year-Old Man Handed Life Sentence For Marrying 10-Year-Old Girl

A Narok court on Wednesday sentenced a 50-year-old Kenyan man to life imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to defiling and marrying a ten-year-old girl.

Saigulu Ololosereka, 50, was charged with defiling a ten-year-old child as well as marrying her in 2019.

He appeared before Phyllis Shinyanda, Narok's senior resident magistrate.

Shinyanda stated in her decision that the man had been advised of the gravity of the situation after pleading guilty, but that he had married the girl after reaching a deal with her parents.

"The last three years must have been the most horrific years for the victim,” the magistrate said.

She said that marriage had a long-term physiological and physical impact because the young lady had had Female Genital Mutilation before marrying and afterwards had a caesarian section upon giving birth.

The court remarked that the accused exhibited no remorse after being cautioned about the gravity of the offence.

“He merely asked for pardon and reinstated that he did not take the girl by force but the parents had handed her for marriage, meaning he feels entitled to have the girl as his wife,” Shiyanda said in her judgement on Wednesday morning.

The magistrate stated again that she took the girl's age into account while making her decision.

She sentenced the defendant to life in prison for the first offence of defilement and three years in jail for the second count of early marriage, which he will serve concurrently.

Tito Wanga, the state prosecutor, expressed satisfaction with the verdict given the gravity of the offence.

However, the perpetrator was given 14 days to appeal the conviction to a higher court.