The main suspect in Baby Junior Sagini case was on Monday, July 24 sentenced to 40 years imprisonment for gouging out the minor's eyes.
Senior resident Magistrate Christine Ogweno of Kisii Law Courts also handed baby Sagini’s aunt and grandmother 10 and five years jail terms, respectively.
The main suspect is the cousin of the three-year-old child whose eyes were gouged out in a grievous assault that happened in December 2022 at Ikuruma Village in Kisii County.
"The minor lost his eyes and eyesight at the hands of his cousin, Alex Maina Ochogo, the first accused person," the Magistrate stated.
The three were found guilty of gouging out Baby Sagini’s eyes by the court on July 7.
Due to a lack of enough evidence, the suspects were first charged with attempted murder but was dropped on February 2 and revised to grievous bodily harm.
The Sagini case shook the nation and led to calls for law enforcement to apprehend the suspects.
Before the assault, Baby Sagini is said to have been kidnapped for six hours.
Baby Sagini went missing in early December and was later found on his uncle’s maize plantation in Marani, Kisii County.
The cruel act shocked the nation causing hue and cry from across the country.
The Children Act section 18 concerning torture and deprivation of liberty states, “No child shall be subjected to torture, cruel treatment or punishment, unlawful arrest or deprivation of liberty.”
It is suspected the case erupted from a family dispute about land pitting members of his family against each other.
