Man sentenced to 10 years for raping 23-year-old woman in Tharaka Nithi

A 49-year-old man has been sentenced to a decade behind bars after being found guilty of raping a 23-year-old woman.

Ruphas Micheni Kinyua was handed the sentence by Chuka Resident Magistrate Oscar Wakina on Thursday.

He reportedly committed the offence on September 12, 2023, by luring the victim to his home with a false promise of offering her a job as a house help.

“The Complainant met the accused on September 12, 2023, at around 9pm at Mbogori in Chogoria Tharaka-Nithi County along the road. The accused promised the complainant a job of a house help,” said the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in a statement.

“They went to the accused home, ate then the accused left the house and locked her inside. The accused later came at midnight raped her locked her inside again and left.”

Kinyua reportedly returned to his residence on September 13, around 1 pm, freed the victim and handed her a Ksh.100 note along with his phone number, telling her to call him.

While heading home, the victim encountered her aunt, who had been searching for her. The aunt convinced her to report the incident at the Mbogori Police Post in Chogoria.

Subsequently, Kinyua was arrested, charged and sentenced for committing the offence. 

“The prosecution, through Prosecution Counsel Emmaculate Hyimo, presented compelling evidence, including testimonies from four witnesses among them, the doctor and the investigating officer. Among the evidence produced were the P3 form, PRC form and treatment notes,” said the ODPP.