Anglican priest handed life sentence for defiling child

An Anglican Church of Kenya priest was today sentenced to life imprisonment after an Embu court found him guilty of defiling his 7-year-old niece.

38-year-old Reverend Elijah Gichangi was jailed for life by Principal Magistrate Samuel Mutai after the prosecution proved beyond doubt that he committed the offence.

Gichangi, who was in charge of Kaagari ACK church, is said to have committed the act on April 19, 2016 at Spring Valley estate in Embu town.

After word of his heinous act came to light, angry residents of Spring Valley torched down his home early last year.

The prosecution team lined up six witnesses who testified against him in the defilement case.

The witnesses included the seven-year-old girl, Gichangi’s mother-in-law and doctors who moved the court as they recounted the horrifying incident.

The court heard that Gichangi lured the girl into his house where he defiled her after his wife had left the house to go shopping.

The girl told the court that it was the second time her uncle had defiled her.

In his defense, the priest produced four witnesses including his wife of ten years, a businessman and church colleague who defended him.

The accused pleaded with the court for leniency saying that he was the family’s bread winner and was also responsible for taking care of the seven-year old girl.

The magistrate, however, ruled that the offence was heinous and handed him life behind bars.

He has 14 days to appeal the sentence.