NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 14 – A Kenyan pastor was jailed for 140 years Thursday for impregnating his two daughters.
Pastor John Gichira was handed the sentence after pleading guilty to defiling and impregnating his daughters aged 14 and 16.
The 51-year-old pastor who pleaded guilty to charges on January 5 belongs to the Akorino sect.
“I sentence you 70 years for each offense and you have 14 days to appeal,” said Senior Principal Magistrate Anthony Mwicigi, the magistrate, “this court orders that your names to be added in the register of convicted and dangerous offenders.”
“Gichira will serve 70 years for each count of defilement; the sentences to run consecutively,” the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said, citing a sentence in a Kirinyaga court.
He stunned the court when Senior Principal Magistrate Anthony Mwicigi of Baricho Law Courts asked him the relationship with the victims. “The two are my daughters and I slept with them and made them pregnant.”
Charges read out to him by the prosecution indicated that the first offense was committed on diverse dates between June 1 and 30, 2020 in Kinyakiiru village, Kirinyaga against his 16-year-old daughter. She is 7 months pregnant.
The second offence was committed on or around August 2020 against his 14-year old daughter who is six months pregant.
Both are primary school pupils.
He was arrested in Mbeere South in Meru County where he had fled to and posed as a Somalia herder but residents were suspicious of his accent and tipped authorities before he was arrested in the first week of January.