A 43 year-old man stunned a courtroom by asking trial magistrate to direct that his victim, an 11 year-old girl, be examined to determine if she is HIV positive, just like him.

Antony Saiso, 43, was sentenced to life imprisonment for defiling the minor.

Saiso made the startling request as he was being whisked away from the dock to begin his life prison term.

“I urge this court to order that the complainant be examined to establish her status because I am HIV positive so that she can be put on anti-retrovirals before it is too late,” said Saiso.

Passing the sentence, magistrate Ms Hellen Onkwani said the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused sexually abused the girl and “ warned her of dire consequences if she disclosed the act to anybody.”

The court noted that the prosecution had availed medical records that showed the extent of injuries inflicted on the primary school pupil.

“ The offence you committed is serious and you need a stiff penalty for others who share habits like you to learn a lesson. Courts have a duty to protect those who vulnerable in the society,” Ms Onkwani said.

The convict had denied the charge of defiling the complainant on June 25,2016 at Kibiko Estate in Ngong, Kajiado County.

He was given 14 days to appeal against the sentence.