The High Court in Migori has increased the jail sentence of a man who defiled a 9-year-old girl. Instead of serving 20 years in prison, Paul Otieno Ojwang will now spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Originally, a lower court had found Ojwang guilty of defiling the minor back in October 2022. The incident took place in the Ombo area of Migori County. Following the trial, the court handed him a 20-year prison term.

However, Ojwang was not satisfied with that decision. He filed an appeal, arguing that the sentence was too harsh and that he deserved a more lenient punishment. But this move did not work in his favor.

In response to Ojwang’s appeal, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) strongly opposed the request to reduce the sentence.

The Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecution, M. Ikol Esaba, stepped in and made a powerful argument.

First punishment too lenient

She told the court that the punishment given earlier was far too lenient, especially considering the young age of the victim.

She insisted that such a serious crime called for a much tougher sentence—one that matched the gravity of the offense.

After listening and carefully going through the details of the case, the High Court judges agreed with the prosecution.

They ruled that the earlier punishment did not reflect the severity of the crime committed against the innocent child. Therefore, they set aside the 20-year sentence and replaced it with life imprisonment.

This ruling sends a strong message to the public. It shows that the justice system takes crimes against children very seriously and is committed to protecting their rights and safety.

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