DNK International By Kennedy Epalat,Malaba.
A businessman in Ang’urai Teso North,has been sentenced to 30 years imprisonment by a Malaba Court for defiling a 13 years girl.
In his ruling made on Monday,Senior Principal Magistrate Ocharo Momanyi, found Moses Okono guilty of the offence which he committed in 2023.
SPM Momanyi,while delivering the judgement, said the case started in Busia court before it was transferred to Malaba law court in Amagoro in 2025.
“The state called five witnesses, including a medical doctor who presented a medical report. The court also heard how people attempted to attack his business premises,” Momanyi said in his ruling.
The prosecution witnesses testified how the trader used to entice the minor with sweets and other goodies to force her into sex.
In mitigation, Onono said he was a family man, sickly, and that he had six children who needed his support and pleaded for leniency.
In a related development, Momanyi has admitted that Malaba law court has registered positive outcomes in handling sexual offences cases.
” If people are found guilty, we convict them”, he said while addressing journalists on Tuesday.
Last Sunday, one of the leading TV stations featured a story on sexual offences and blamed the entire law courts in Busia county for delayed dispensation of justice to victims of sex related offenses by either transferring magistrates handling the cases or using other unorthodox means to terminate such cases.
In reaction to courts adopting alleged delaying tactics in sexual offence cases,Momanyi cited some challenges related to sexual offence cases.
” Most cases involving close relatives or neighbours who are sometimes colluded to conceal to evidence.
Startling statistics by the SPM revealed a case where a boda boda aged 21 years got involved in a relationship with a 17 year old minor who eventually delivered another minor.
During the hearing, the duo came to court with the “husband” carrying the baby in court, and the girl seated besides him.
The man accepted ” defiling” her. Can you convict him? the Magistrate posed. We encourage DPP to divert such cases to an alternative justice system instead of bringing them to Court ” he said.
Adding,”What will society gain if you convict such a person?. You will deny the minor an opportunity to have a parent.
The girl is now an adult, and she can make independent decisions. “
Momanyi urged the media to be in the forefront in sensitizing people on the dangers of involvement in such vices and inherent penalties.
He said even police officers misreport court proceedings.
He cited a sexual offence case where he released a police officer on bond, but surprisingly, the same officers dispatched a signal to police headquarters to the effect that the accused officer was given a personal bond!
On illicit brews, Momanyi said they consider so many things before an accused person is convicted.
” A case in point is when the police arrested a middle aged woman. When she appeared in court, the woman pleaded that she was the mother of a four-day old baby. ‘ I asked the police whether they were aware. I had no option but to acquit her.
He said there are some cases that should not be brought before court, citing social problems involving close relatives.
He also cited a recent case involving a sick chief whose wife was not helping him. The Chief’s brother and sister assaulted the wife, who later took the matter to court. I advised them to seek an amicable solution. The complainant came back and withdrew the case.”
[DNK-International@July 29,2026]
