A court in Kericho has sentenced a man to 20 years in prison after he was found guilty of defiling a 13-year-old girl in Belgut Sub-county.
In a statement, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said the accused, Victor Kiplangat, committed the offence on several occasions between July 15 and July 18, 2021, at Chebiribei village.
Senior Principal Magistrate Honourable Nyakundi delivered the sentence following a successful prosecution led by Prosecution Counsel Anthony Karanja.
“In Kericho, the Director of Public Prosecutions has successfully secured a 20-year prison sentence against Victor Kiplangat Cheruiyot for the offence of defilement.
“The court established that on diverse dates between 15th July 2021 and 18th July 2021, at Chebiribei village in Belgut Sub-county, the accused defiled a 13-year-old girl,” read the statement.
According to the ODPP, Cheruiyot lured the minor to his residence under the pretext of giving her a dress. During the incident, he sexually assaulted the girl, resulting in a pregnancy.
Following the ordeal, the victim conceived but concealed the pregnancy, initially declining to disclose the identity of the perpetrator to her parents. She subsequently gave birth to a daughter and resumed her studies.
In 2025, when the victim was 16 years old, the accused began a campaign of harassment against her, frequently subjecting her to physical assault if he observed her interacting with other men.
The situation escalated when the accused assaulted the victim’s brother as he attempted to intervene.
Exhausted by the continued abuse, the victim disclosed to her parents that the accused was responsible for the initial pregnancy.
A formal report was lodged at the Sosiot Police Station, prompting a forensic investigation. Subsequent DNA analysis confirmed that the accused is the biological father of the child born as a result of the defilement.
In delivering the 20-year jail sentence, Nyakundi emphasized the gravity of the offence and the long-term psychological and physical trauma inflicted upon the minor.
