Bishop Jailed 75 Years for Defiling Minors

A bishop from Kisumu accused of defiling three minors and deliberately infecting one with HIV/AIDs was yesterday sentenced to 75 years in prison.

Mr. Joseph Obala was convicted by a Kisumu court with three counts of defilement and also for transmitting the HIV virus to one of the minors. The three defilement charges earned him 20 years for each count while the latter earned him 15 years of imprisonment.

The girls, two of them 15 years and one 14 years, were said to be living with the clergy at an orphanage in Kisumu when he committed the sexual offenses. The cleric denied the charges claiming that they were fabricated and that there was no sufficient proof he is the one that infected one of the victims with HIV.

Mr. Obalas lawyer, Steve Akoko promised to appeal the case to ensure that the court followed the law and the right procedures in issuing the judgment.

The bishop is a layman so he could have missed procedures or technicalities during the trial, said Mr. Akoko.

“He will serve the charges consecutively,” said Resident Magistrate Pauline Mbulika.