Man who attempted to rape pregnant woman jailed for 20 years
A man who attempted to rape a pregnant woman and indecently assaulted her has been jailed for 20 years by a Marsabit court.
Gumathi Lafte, 25, who admitted engaging in an indecent act against the complainant but denied attempted rape charges, was ordered by the court to serve a custodial sentence after the prosecution presented a watertight case against him.
Appearing before Principal Magistrate Boaz Ombewa, Lafte was accused of committing the bizarre offence on August 1, last year in Laisamis sub-location in Marsabit South district where he attempted to forcefully engage in a sexual act with the 22-year-old pregnant woman.
The prosecution told the court that the complainant, together with another woman from the same village, had gone to collect firewood when they saw the accused hiding in a thicket.
The accused confronted the two but while her companion managed to escape, the complainant could not due to the pregnancy.
She narrated to the court how the accused seized and wrestled her to the ground before making attempts to rape her.
However, her screams and shouts for help scared away the assailant who disappeared towards Leringaman village in neighbouring Loglogo location.
PURSUED AND ARRESTED
The court further heard from the prosecution that the complainant’s friend had by then managed to reach home where she informed her family about the incident but when they got to the scene, the attacker had escaped.
The complainant was then taken to Laisamis Catholic mission hospital and the incident reported at Laisamis police who pursued and arrested the attacker.
According to the medical report, the victim, though not raped, was traumatized and treated for strain and distress.
The accused claimed that the women got scared and started running away shouting for help when they saw him emerge from the bush unexpectedly.
He further pleaded with the court for leniency adding that he has an ageing father who depended on him.
But in his ruling, Ombewa said that after evaluating the evidence, he had found that the accused had a case to answer.
The magistrate added that the court had considered mitigation by the accused and decided to jail him for five years for the indecent assault offence and then serve another fifteen years for the crime of attempted rape. The court gave him 14 days to appeal against the judgment.