A Mombasa court has sentenced a 24-year-old man to 20 years in jail for defiling a 13-year-old street boy.
Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku ordered that Michael Mwakio start to serve the sentence from the time he has been in custody.
The court ruled that the prosecution, led by Principal Prosecution Counsel Alex Gituma, had conclusively proven the case against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt.
In her ruling, Magistrate Mutuku noted that the substantial jail term would act as a deterrent to anyone contemplating exploiting vulnerable children.
The court heard that the accused lured a group of street children to his residence in the Tudor area at night, promising them accommodation as an alternative to sleeping on the streets.
Later in the dead of the night, the accused undressed and sexually assaulted one of the boys, issuing threats to throw the victim into the sea if he raised an alarm.
Another street boy awoke from his sleep and caught the accused in the act. He alerted neighbours forcing the accused to escape.
Michael Mwakio was caught in the morning hours after emerging from his hideout and forcibly taken to Makupa police station.
The sex pest committed the offense on February 28, 2022, in the Tudor estate area in Mvita Sub County within Mombasa County.
