A 45-year-old man has been sentenced to 50 years behind bars for defiling his eight-year-old nephew in Malindi, Kilifi County.

Said Bashuru Baya was handed the sentence on Wednesday by Malindi Senior Principal Magistrate Olga Onalo who found him guilty of incest.

Five witnesses, including the minor, took to the stand to testify, telling the court that Baya, a repeat offender, on diverse dates in November 2022 lured the victim to his house and defiled him.

Baya would buy the victim's silence by offering him Ksh.10 every time he defiled him, further warning the boy of dire consequences including murder if he dared disclose the incidents to anyone.

"Hon. Onalo in her judgement noted that the beastly acts tortured the minor psychologically, emotionally and physically. The Magistrate stated that the prosecution through Suke Summaru discharged its responsibility of proving the case beyond any reasonable doubt," the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said in a statement.

Baya's vile actions were only discovered after the victim's father overheard the boy conversing with his sibling about the defilement incidents.

"The minor opened up after his distraught father reprimanded the two boys to shed more light over what they were conversing. The man alerted his wife who also revealed some strange habits in her son including difficulties in walking and call of nature," the ODPP said.

"After words spread in the village, members of the public arrested the accused and took him to Gongoni police station, and he was later charged with incest."