Former deputy headteacher sentenced to 28 years for defilement

A former deputy headteacher has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for defiling a 13-year-old pupil.

The accused, John Kamau, was sentenced by Resident Magistrate Evangelista Kithinji, who found that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt during the court proceedings.

The court heard that the offences were committed between April and October 2023 at a school in Thika West Sub-County, Kiambu County.

Prosecutors presented the minor as the key witness, with the court noting that her testimony was consistent, detailed, and credible. Her evidence was corroborated by medical reports and testimonies from other witnesses, including the investigating officer and the child’s mother.

The defence failed to cast doubt on the prosecution’s case, with the court ruling that claims about the minor’s conduct were irrelevant, given Kamau’s position of trust, authority, and responsibility as a teacher.

During mitigation, Kamau told the court that he fled to Machakos after the incident, where he contemplated suicide before being assisted by a good Samaritan to relocate to Ciakariga in Chuka. He said he later secured employment as a curriculum coordinator at a private school.

The minor’s family lawyer, Karuga Mbugua, welcomed the sentence, saying it sent a strong message against sexual offences involving children and abuse of trust by educators.

Kamau was convicted under Section 8(3) of the Sexual Offences Act, which prescribes a lengthy custodial sentence for defilement of a child aged between 12 and 15 years.