Written By Lisa Murimi
A Nyamira court has fined a teacher Ksh300,000 or sentenced him to three years in prison after he was found guilty of abusing a student by caning him 107 times.
The ruling was delivered by Keroka High Court Magistrate Eunice Nyuthu, who acquitted the teacher of attempted murder due to insufficient evidence.
“The evidence cannot sustain the charge of attempted murder, but it supports offenses of unlawful wounding under the Penal Code and cruelty to a child under the Children Act,” Magistrate Nyuthu stated.
The teacher, aged 29, was found guilty of cruelty to a child for assaulting the student on March 26, 2023, allegedly for misplacing his school uniform.
Using a plastic pipe, the teacher inflicted severe injuries, including a hematoma, which medical reports revealed could have been fatal without prompt treatment.
Magistrate Nyuthu noted that the teacher’s actions violated the constitutional ban on corporal punishment.
“The accused breached his duty and caused bodily harm, amounting to a criminal offense,” she ruled.
The victim’s family expressed dissatisfaction with the sentence, declaring their intent to appeal.
Prosecutors had originally sought murder charges, arguing the abuse posed life-threatening consequences. The teacher has 14 days to appeal the verdict.
