There was drama at a Mombasa court on Tuesday, November 22, after a man facing incest charges for defiling his two biological daughters pleaded with his wife to drop the case.
Appearing before Mombasa Senior Principal Magistrate Vincent Adet, Christopher Odhiambo professed love for his estranged wife and urged the court to drop the matter to allow the parties settle it out of court.
The accused told the wife, who was testifying against him, that he was still madly in love with her despite the rift between them.
He further requested for the court to allow him some private time with his wife, to see how they would resolve the incest matter levelled against him outside court, saying he knows the woman still loves him.
“Naomba utoe hii mashitaka twende tukagumze nyumbani hii ni kesi ya Nyumbani kati yangu na watoto wetu Mimi nakupenda na najua unanipenda pia. l request you to have a change of mind over this charges,”he said.
In a quick response, the trial magistrate warned Odhiambo against interfering with the witnesses in the matter and issued a stern warning that the state has an interest in the case and therefore his court was not ready to entertain nor allow his thoughts.
Odhiambo, who seemed agitated by the court’s move, turned his rage to his estranged wife and uttered unprintable words to her.
“You can do what you want. Those are girls, they are of no help to me. Go and get them suitors from your tribe,” he shouted.
Adet warned the suspect of his hostile behaviour before he was forced to adjourn the matter.
The two minors aged 12 and 8 years, in their testimony, told the court that their father had on several occasions defiled them in their parents’ matrimonial bed.
“On the very first day my mother had travelled to Nairobi and my dad picked me up and carried me to his bed where he defiled me. l did not scream. The following day l confided in my sister but she was afraid of telling my teacher what had happened,” the 8-year-old minor painfully recounted.
The 12-year-old girl, on her part, narrated to the court that his father first attempted to defile her while she was sleeping in a separate room. He was caught in the act by her mother who had grown curious about why her husband had taken long to go to bed.
Odhiambo is facing charges of incest, contrary to section 20(1)of the sexual offences Act of 2016.
