Creaw Portal

A Malindi court sentenced a pas­tor to 20 years imprisonment for de­filing a minor.

Malindi Resident Magistrate Caro­line Ocharo found Alex Menza Gona, who ministers in a church in Mar­iakani, KaJoleni District, guilty of the offence committed in Malindi town on October 13, last year.

The court heard that on the mate­rial day, the pastor, who had paid a visit to the girl's family at Majengo Mapya, requested her to see him off.

Chief lnspector Paul Okinda, pros­ecuting, said the pastor was leaving for Mombasa and since he was a well­ known figure to her family, the girl13 did not object to the request.

When they reached the bus stage, Menza led the minor to a lodging in Kisumu Ndogo area, which he claimed to be his house.

"Upon reaching the storeyed building which the complainant later learnt to be a lodging,they went up­stairs and boarded room number 12 the prosecutor said.

UNDRESSED
Okinda said the "man of God" then undressed the minor and stuffed a piece of cloth in her mouth to prevent her from screaming. He then forced the girl to have sex with him.

After committing the beastly act, the pastor hurriedly walked down­stairs with the minor and directed her to say a man of Somali origin had de­filed her. He then deserted the dis­traught girl.

Residents later found the girl bleeding profusely a few metres from the lodging.They informed her grand­mother and took. her to Malindi Police Station. She was then taken to malin­di District Hospital where she was ad­mitted for three davs.

Adducing evidence, the lodge at­tendant Alice Kombe, said she found blood spots on the bedding where the two had slept. The suspect was then arrested and charged in a MaIindi court.

In mitigation, Pastor Gona plead­ed for leniency saying he had a wife and three children who depend on him.