Kilifi pastor jailed 30 years for defiling, impregnating minor during prayer, fasting session

A Kilifi court has sentenced a pastor to 30 years in prison after convicting him of defiling his 15-year-old cousin twice.

The minor later conceived after the pastor impregnated her during church fasting and prayer sessions.

The court found the pastor guilty of defilement, contrary to Section 8(1) as read with Section 8(3) of the Sexual Offences Act, 2006.

He committed the offences on separate dates between June 2023 and February 2024, against the minor, who was 15 years old at the time.

Delivering his judgment, Chief Magistrate Hon. James Mwaniki ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, and that the pastor had acted without any lawful justification.

"I find merits in the prosecution's case on the principal charge of defilement. The accused person is hereby sentenced to serve 30 years imprisonment," Hon. Mwaniki ruled.

The court heard that the complainant, who was 15 at the time of the offence, testified a year later, in June 2024, when she was 16.

She told the court that the accused was her cousin and also served as a pastor at the church where she worshipped.

According to her testimony, the pastor invited her in mid-2023 to fast alongside his wife for spiritual cleansing. She agreed willingly, without any suspicion of what was to come.

When she later asked to go home to plait her hair, the pastor insisted she remain at his house instead. He gave her supper and settled her to sleep alongside his two children.

The pastor and his wife, entering the room later, woke her up. The court heard that his wife allegedly covered the girl's mouth to stop her from screaming for help, while her husband defiled her.

Afterwards, the pastor allegedly threatened to kill her if she ever told anyone what had happened. The girl went home the next morning, traumatised, and could not bring herself to tell her mother.

Two weeks later, the pastor allegedly followed her and lured her back to his home under the pretext of more prayers and fasting.

He reportedly told her this would prevent her from marrying a non-Christian after completing school, claiming he had received a divine vision about it.

They fasted and prayed together at his church, after which he invited her and another girl to his home for evening tea. He later sent the other girl home, leaving the complainant behind, telling her to wait for special night prayers.

He then defiled her a second time as she slept alongside his children.

Several months later, the girl discovered she was pregnant and named the pastor as the man responsible.

Her mother reported the matter to police, and authorities took the girl to hospital, where medical staff confirmed her pregnancy.

A government analyst later produced DNA evidence showing a 99.9 percent probability that the pastor was the biological father of her newborn child.

In his defence, the pastor initially denied the offence entirely. He later admitted to having sexual intercourse with the minor, but claimed he had been coerced and did not know her true age.

His account did not persuade the court, leading to his conviction and a 30-year sentence.