Monster neighbour sentenced to life for defiling, infecting minor with HIV
A mechanic was on Tuesday sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of defiling a 12 year-old girl and infecting her with HIV.
Mr Joshua Aomo Ocharo was accused of defiling the minor four times between July and September 2015 in Bokole area, Changamwe, Mombasa.
Mombasa senior resident magistrate Martin Rabera on Monday said the court could not exercise mercy on the accused who deserves a deterrent sentence.
‘BREACHED TRUST’
“You are an adult whom the society has entrusted you with responsibility to guide kids, but you breached the trust manners,” said Mr Rabera.
Mr Rabera said the accused cannot be allowed to mingle freely in the society hence the need for a harsh sentence that will prevent him from doing more harm to other minors.
According to the minor, the accused gave her Sh50 in the first incident, and then Sh100 on another day he defiled her. He also threatened her not to inform anybody.
The court was told that the defilement came to light after the minor complained to her mother that she was not feeling well.
She was taken to a health centre and upon examination was found to be HIV positive. Her mother and younger siblings were tested and were found to be negative.
HIV STATUS
During trial, the court heard that the accused had started taking Anti-Retrovirals (ARV) since 2010 and was aware of his HIV status when he was engaging in unprotected sex with the minor.
A counsellor told the court that the accused used to routinely collect ARVs at their facility.
The accused, in his testimony, had said that the charges against him were false and that he never had any relationship with the minor. He said he was a family man with a wife and two university going children.
The accused was given a right to appeal against the sentence within 14 day.
