The Malindi Court has sentenced Justin Karisa Thoya to a 30-year prison term after finding him guilty of raping a seven-year-old boy in the Jacaranda area, Kilifi County.

The sentence was handed down by Chief Judge Eva Mirriam Adhiambo after the court determined that the prosecution had proven the case against Thoya beyond any reasonable doubt.

According to evidence presented in court, the incident occurred on June 14, 2025, when the child was herding livestock in the Jacaranda area, Malindi Sub-County.

The court was informed that Thoya asked the child to help him search for another cow that had gone missing in the bushes. The child later testified that the defendant raped him and threatened him not to tell anyone about the incident.

However, the child eventually told his mother about what happened, and she took him to the hospital for examination and treatment.

The medical evidence presented in court showed that the child had swelling and pain. The examination also revealed signs of severe bruising.

The prosecution, led by Attorney Ahmed Omar, presented four witnesses to support the case. The court was satisfied that the evidence submitted confirmed the child's age, the defendant's identity, and the incident of sexual abuse.

THE DEFENDANT WAS RE-ARRESTED AFTER FLEEING BAIL

In another development, the court noted that Thoya had gone into hiding for approximately eight months after jumping bail he had been granted.

Officers from the Criminal Investigations Department (DCI) in Malindi, in collaboration with officers from the Kizingo Police Station, tracked him to Hindi, Lamu County, where he was re-arrested.

After his re-arrest, the court revoked his bail and the case proceeded until its conclusion.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) secured the conviction after the prosecution presented its evidence in court.

Thoya has been sentenced to a 30-year prison term. The court has given him 14 days to file an appeal against the sentence and the punishment.