In the United Kingdom, a Kenyan man named Anthony Maina has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for the grooming and sexual assault of a young girl in the Inner London borough of Hackney. Maina, aged 52, received his sentence on Thursday, following his conviction on 17 charges, including seven counts of rape.
According to reports from the London Evening Standard, the court was presented with evidence detailing how Maina used gifts, clothing, food, and mobile phones to manipulate and gain the trust of the young victim. He referred to the minor as “his girl” and his “best friend in the universe,” often accusing her of neglecting him if she didn’t maintain contact. Maina also employed deceitful tactics to lure her to his property, such as pretending to have a parcel for her or needing assistance from workmen, subsequently subjecting her to abuse.
Maina would manipulate the girl’s family into pressuring her to visit his house, suggesting that she was unhelpful whenever she resisted his advances. The girl reported Maina’s actions to her local police station in December 2018, leading to an investigation.
During the court proceedings, an investigating officer described Maina’s crimes as some of the most “vile and despicable psychological manipulation and sexual abuse” they had ever encountered, expressing disgust that individuals like Maina exist. Maina showed no remorse throughout the investigation and even attempted to discredit the survivor by labeling her a “troublemaker” during an interview.
Detective Constable Stefan Wimmer, quoted in the Evening Standard, praised the survivor for her patience, courage, and determination since coming forward to the police, expressing deep admiration for her.
This incident follows the recent news of another Kenyan, Billy Kipkorir Chemirmir, who was suspected of a series of murders in the United States. Chemirmir was killed by his cellmate in a Texas prison cell, where he had posed as a worker to gain access to luxury senior living communities, smothering elderly women with pillows and stealing valuables from their homes.