A primary school teacher in Kilifi County has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being found guilty of abusing his position of authority to pursue a sexual relationship with a pupil.
The teacher was convicted by Senior Resident Magistrate Hon. Ivy D. Wasike after the prosecution presented evidence showing that he took advantage of his position and the vulnerability of the minor.
The offence was committed on October 21, 2021, at around 6pm in Ganze Sub County, Kilifi County.The Director of Public Prosecutions called six witnesses during the trial.
They included the complainant, her mother, the school head teacher, the area assistant chief and a clinical officer. Their evidence helped the court establish the circumstances surrounding the offence.
The matter came to light after an informer overheard pupils discussing the issue and reported it to another teacher.
The school then held a meeting with the complainant, who confirmed the allegations.The pupil told the court that the teacher had earlier written her a love letter before taking her to a bush, where he attempted to have sexual intercourse with her.
The prosecution, led by Principal Prosecution Counsel Nancy Njeru, asked the court to consider the teacher’s position of trust.
Njeru argued that teachers are expected to protect and guide pupils rather than take advantage of them.
The magistrate convicted the teacher of abuse of position of authority under Section 24(4) of the Sexual Offences Act.During mitigation, the teacher asked the court for forgiveness.
He told the court that he had a family that depended on him and said he did not know how they were managing while he was in custody.
In her ruling, Magistrate Wasike observed that the case was part of a wider concern in Ganze Sub County, where some teachers had allegedly taken advantage of vulnerable pupils and escaped accountability despite abusing positions of trust.
The court also praised the head teacher for taking action and ensuring that the matter was addressed instead of being covered up.
Following the conviction and sentencing, the teacher’s record was forwarded to the Teachers Service Commission through the County Director of Education for further action.
The court granted the convict 14 days to exercise his right to appeal against both the conviction and the sentence.
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