A Nyahururu court has ordered a man accused of impregnating his niece to undergo a DNA test to determine the paternity of the baby.
The accused caused drama in the courtroom after he told Nyahururu Senior Resident Magistrate Vincent Kiplagat that he will not allow his blood sample to be taken for DNA testing terming it as idol worship.
“Giving my blood out for testing is idol and devil worship and it amounts to sacrificing yourself to the devil. I will not allow anyone to take my blood as a sample,” said the accused as he took out a Bible from his bag to read a scripture to the court.
However, the seemingly amused magistrate told the man that there was no turning back on DNA testing.
“You are accused of committing incest and impregnating a close family member who is also a minor. The test is to determine the paternity of the child,” said the magistrate as he ordered the man to return the bible into the bag.
Mr Kiplagat noted that the accused had failed to convince the court that the DNA testing was a form of idol worship and that the court order that he should undergo the DNA test was in bad faith.
“DNA testing is done by geneticists who are stationed at the government chemist. If they are going to sacrifice you, let them do so,” said the magistrate.
He ordered that the accused person be remanded at Ngano Police Station. He instructed the Officer Commanding the Station to escort the suspect to Kenyatta National Hospital for the tests.
The man is charged with defiling and impregnating the Form Two student on December 16, 2020 in Lanet area in Nakuru County.
He is also charged with committing an indecent act with a minor.
The accused, however, told the court he has been the minor’s guardian and has taken care of her since she was a toddler since her mother is suffering from a terminal illness.
“I have taken care of the minor since she was a toddler, I even enrolled her in kindergarten and I have seen her go through primary school. I did not defile her,” he said.
The prosecution, however, told the court that several witnesses including the minor have testified before the court it was only through DNA tests that the real truth can be known.
The case will be mentioned on February 14. BY DAILY NATION