A secondary school teacher Hillary Okeyo before a Nairobi court where he was charged with defiling a 15 year Student at Highridge Girls secondary school on Wednesday October 15, 2015.
BY SAM ALFAN.
A secondary school teacher could be sentenced to life imprisonment should the rape charges preferred against by the prosecution are proven.
This is after he was charged at a Nairobi court with defiling a 15 year Student at Highridge Girls secondary school.
Hillary Okeyo however denied all the charges of defilement and committing an indecent act to students contrary to the law before a Milimani chief magistrate Daniel Ogembo.
The prosecution alleged that on October 7, 2015 at High ridge secondary school, he defiled a 15 year Student.
The defense requested the court to grant them bail on the grounds that the accused is not a fright risk and that he is still a teacher.
They claimed that it is a constitutional right for an accused person to be granted bail because he is still innocent until proven guilty.
State counsel Eddie Kadebbe opposed their application for bail on the grounds that the accused person might interfere with the witnesses who are the victims if released on bail.
“The accused person is a teacher and the victim is a student and we are apprehensive that he might interfere with the investigations and the key witnesses who are the students,” said kadebbe.
He added that there are also some staffs of the school who might come out to testify and if the accused is released on bond he is likely to go to that school and interfere with the complainant who are vulnerable students.
The prosecution in opposing the bail added that the offence is serious and attracts a penalty of 20 years which can be enhanced to life imprisonment.
“The offence has a high chance of conviction before this case is through and the court should consider the seriousness of the offence,” said kadebbe.
The prosecution wanted the accused to be remanded in custody pending the hearing and determination of the case and should be denied bail.
“Yesterday there was a threat by students to hold demonstrations on the same and this would jeorpodise the life of the complainant,” said kadebbe.
The defense insisted that at this stage the accused still remain innocent until proven guilty and the court can exercise its jurisdiction.
They added that they can enroll the witness for protection and the employer will be a better position on whether to suspend the accused or not.
The Milimanichief magistrate Daniel Ogembo remanded the accused till Friday when he is expected to deliver the ruling on bail. “I need the opportunity to go through the affidavit and make ruling on Friday,” said Ogembo.
