Murang'a teacher handed 90 years in jail for sexual assault of 9 boys

Jun. 16, 2016, 

By ALICE WAITHERA, @alicewangechi

John Gichia, the 23-year-old teacher who was sentenced to 90 years in jail for sexually assaulting nine pupils, is escorted to Murang'a law courts, June 16, 2016. Photo/ALICE WAITHERA

A 23 year-old primary school teacher convicted of sexually assaulting nine pupils has been sentenced to 90 years in jail. 

John Gichia was charged with indecently assaulting nine boys at Muthiria Primary School between January and May 2015. 

Murang'a resident magistrate Jesse Masiga said the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that he committed the crime. 

“The prosecution produced evidence that was both complementary and corroborating,” Masiga ruled on Thursday. 

He sentenced Gichia to 10 years in prison for each count, and said the sentences will be served consecutively. 

The victims said in their testimonies that Gichia attempted to molest them in their dormitories but that they resisted. 

The court also heard that the teacher, who was employed by the school’s board, fled after the boys aged between 13 and 16 years reported him to their parents. 

The school’s head teacher was interdicted by the Teachers Service Commission after it was discovered that he tried to cover up the case. 

Read: TSC investigates Murang'a sex pest 

But Gichia insisted he was innocent and told the court the students conspired with his colleagues to frame him. 

He said a rivalry emerged between him and three other teachers after he was promoted to head of the science department. 

Gichia also told the court his strong Christian faith would not allow him to engage in shameful acts and that pupils also disliked his high-handedness. 

He had asked the court for leniency saying he was his family's breadwinner and was still pursuing further studies.