A Naivasha court ordered the imprisonment of a 42-year-old security guard for 20 years after he was found guilty of raping an 80-year-old woman in Kinungi village, Naivasha, in 2022.
Chief Magistrate Nathan Lutta declared Joseph Gitahi guilty of forcibly entering the old woman’s house at 2am, where he forcibly restrained, sexually assaulted, and threatened to kill her. The court was informed that the convict had also made several attempts to attack the woman before the incident took place.
The prosecution brought forward four witnesses whose testimonies, according to the magistrate, provided irrefutable evidence of the case.
The victim said she was very happy with the verdict and pointed out that Gitahi had once been arrested for a similar case but was unexpectedly released.
Father Jude Otogo, leading the advocates of the rights of elderly people, reacted positively to the verdict, saying that it warns very strongly those who victimize the elderly for violence and abuse.
Father Otogo called on the police to ensure that senior citizens are well protected and pointed out that crimes against the elderly are hardly reported because the victims live in fear, are stigmatized, and do not have support.
