A court in Kilifi has sentenced a 32-year-old barber to 15 years in prison after finding him guilty of raping a 21-year-old student in an attack that took place in 2024.
The convict, identified as Mwakombe Katana Karisa, was accused of attacking the student on the morning of July 10, 2024, as she was walking to school through Kasameni Village in Kilifi County.
After hearing the evidence presented during the trial, the court found him guilty and handed down the prison sentence.
According to the prosecution, the man confronted the student while armed with a knife and a bottle. He threatened her before assaulting her.
The court heard that he overpowered the victim and carried out the sexual assault despite her resistance.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) told the court that the victim reported the incident soon after it happened.
An independent witness met her shortly after the attack and noticed that her school uniform was dirty. The witness also received the victim’s immediate report about what had taken place, which became part of the evidence presented during the trial.
Medical evidence submitted in court supported the prosecution’s case. Doctors confirmed signs of a recent sexual assault, including fresh injuries that were consistent with the victim’s account.
Investigators also recovered exhibits that were later subjected to forensic examination.
The ODPP said laboratory analysis detected sperm cells on the recovered exhibits. DNA profiling later matched the biological material to the accused, providing strong scientific evidence that linked him to the crime scene.
Prosecutors argued that the forensic findings, together with the victim’s testimony and other evidence, clearly identified Karisa as the person responsible for the attack.
The court agreed that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
In delivering the sentence, the magistrate emphasized the seriousness of sexual offences and the lasting harm they cause to victims.
The court noted that a strong sentence was necessary not only to punish the offender but also to help protect vulnerable members of society from sexual violence.
Karisa will now serve 15 years in prison following his conviction, bringing to a close a case that relied on witness testimony, medical findings, and DNA evidence.
