Two Kenyan Rugby Players Sentenced To 15 Years For Gang Rape

Two Kenya national Rugby Sevens team players have been sentenced to 15 years each in prison for gang-raping a local musician.

Alex Mahaga Olaba and Lawrence Frank Wanyama have been jailed in the Milimani Court in Nairobi for gang-raping the singer overnight on her birthday in February last year.

The woman got pregnant after the ordeal and alleged that one of her attackers had threatened to sue her if she went public with the matter.

The court heard that the two players suggested they have a threesome, but the woman made it clear she did not want to have sex with either of the men.

She notes that she only knew one of the two rugby players and after a night of merry-making, she went home with them.

The men consistently denied they had raped the woman, claiming it had been a consensual sexual encounter.

But the magistrate accepted the victim’s evidence and found Mahaga and Wanyama guilty of rape.

The two had been released on Sh500,000 cash bail each after denying the charge but last week, the magistrate termed the matter as serious and directed that the two remain in custody until their sentencing on Friday.

The defence lawyer Jimmy Wafula Simiyu had asked the court to consider a lenient and non-custodial sentence.

Both players have represented the national seven-a-side team, Shujaa. Mr Olaba has also represented the national 15-a-side team, Simbas.

Olaba and Wanyama started their rugby careers at Strathmore University before switching to Kenya Harlequins.