A 15-year-old minor has been charged in an Eldoret court with defiling and infecting another six-year-old minor with HIV.
The accused, who is a Grade Eight student at a school in Moiben Sub County, is said to have been born with the virus.
Due to the nature of the case and the issues involved, the plea was taken in camera.
The juvenile was charged with defiling another minor contrary to Section 8(1) read with Section 8(2) of the Sexual Offences Act, 2006.
According to the charge sheet, he defiled the six-year-old girl on different dates between January and April 2024 at the Kambi Nairobi area in Kimumu estate.
He was also charged with another count of intentional transmission of HIV contrary to section 26 of the Sexual Offences Act, 2006.
The accused, who was represented by lawyer Oscar Oduor, denied the charges before Eldoret Chief Magistrate Dennis Mikoyani.
Lawyer Oduor pleaded with the court to release the accused on lenient bail conditions considering that he is also a child in need of care and protection.
“Looking at the case before us, the court will appreciate that both the accused and the victim are all children in need of care and protection, I respectfully request this court to release the accused on lenient bail terms,” Mr Oduor told the court.
Following the request by the accused’s lawyer, the court released him on Sh50,000 bail with a like surety.
The matter will come up on 13 May for further directions on how to conduct the pre-trial proceedings, considering that the case involves two minors, both of whom are in need of care and protection.
Two weeks ago, another minor aged 14 from the same sub-district was charged with defiling boy 9.
According to the police, the accused is being investigated for similar cases in which he is alleged to have defiled seven other minors, including four girls and three boys.
