The High Court in Kiambu has today sentenced a 16-year-old girl to 10 years in jail for the murder of her cousin.
In the ruling, which was shared by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP), the judge reiterated that the minor identified as BW was found guilty of the offense.
BW was accused of killing her cousin MK on August 16 last year. According to the prosecution, MK was a toddler aged 1 year, 8 months.
In its submission, the prosecution convinced the court that the minor suffocated her cousin before throwing her into a borehole.
While issuing the ruling, the judge ordered the convict to serve the first two years at a borstal institution and the remaining eight at Langata Women Prison, having attained the age of majority, 18.
"In agreeing with the prosecution, the Hon. Judge noted that a custodial sentence was deserving of the subject who killed her innocent cousin," an excerpt of ODPP's statement read.
BW was also accused of killing her three siblings prior to murdering her cousin. Investigations into the death of the siblings are underway. If found guilty, BW may be slapped with a harsher sentence.
Meahwile, a borstal institution is an establishment in which offenders aged 15 to 21 are detained for corrective training before being transferred to prisons.
The Borstals Institution Act stipulates that the Ministry of Interior shall provide proper sanitary arrangements, water supply, food, clothing and bedding for the inmates
It adds that before sentencing a youthful offender, a court shall consider the evidence available as to his character and previous conduct and the circumstances of the offence, and whether it is expedient for his reformation that he should undergo a period of training in a borstal institution.
In Kenya, four borstal institutions provide rehabilitation to young offenders through formal technical training, spiritual programs, and counselling.
The four are Shikusa Borstal (Kakamega), Shimo la Tewa Borstal (Shanzu), Kamiti Youth Corrective Training Centre and Kamae Girls Borstal (both are an annexure of Kamiti Maximum Prison).
