Uproar has been witnessed on various social media platforms after a priest in Mombasa was set free by the court to preach about Sexual Offences after preying on a 16 year old minor.
According to reports, the priest was found guilty of indecent action with the minor who was a member of the youth in the church that the priest is heading.
The High Court of Mombasa sent the priest, Father Dominic Muli Nzioka to a three year mission after finding him guilty to preach to his congregants about Sexual Offences Act atleast once a month.
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This comes after the Principal Magistrate Nelly Kariuki of the Shanzu Sexual and Gender Based Violence court found Father Dominic Nzioka guilty of the offence committed on September 28,2020 at Mto Panga at Kisauni.
The court made a rulling on June 22 last year sentencing the priest to seven years in jail for the crime. However, the priest made an appeal against the decision by the Shanzu court.
“The appellant, having breached the covid-19 protocols, and the church regulations that the children are not allowed to enter the priest house as well as defying the victim’s mother not to interact with her daughtef makes this court believe that the trial Magistrate was proper in finding that the prosecution’s evidence had proven beyond doubt.”
According to the victim, she received a text from father Dominic to go to church. She arrived and was offered alcohol by the priest who proceeded to touch her inappropriately.
“He had alcohol in a coffee cup which he offered me to drink. He then touched me inappropriately. If my mother had not called, Father could’ve done more than touch me inappropriately. I did not know what he intended to do.”
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Justice Anne Ong’iijo upheld the decision by the Shanzu court of finding Priest Dominic guilty. However, the judge further directed that the rulling by the Shanzu court will be substituted by the three years preaching by the priest.
“However, this court sets aside seven year jail term and substitutes thereof three years under the supervision of a probation officer. While in probation, the appellant is hereby ordered to sensitize his congregants about the Sexual Offences Act atleast one Sunday in a month.”