Gospel artist Francis Khulali on Friday October 18th breathe a sigh of relief after court cleared him of rape charge leveled against him by Sharon Kwagu.
Francis was first presented in court on 31st August 2017, the prosecution told the court that the gospel singer lured his girlfriend and photographer Sharon Kwagu to Ngong forest where he said they would capture good pictures.
Sharon had testified that Francis was accompanied by several women who disappeared immediately they got deeper into the forest, and that she was left alone with the accused who allegedly raped her.
The plaintiff claimed that the gospel artist became rude and arrogant and struck her head with a camera before raping her when she inquired why other women had left.
“He struck my head and I fell on the ground losing my consciousness. When I came to, I found him on top of me. I had to cooperate because he told me to,” Sharon Kwagu told the court.
Sharon was admitted and treated at the Nairobi Women Hospital where she was given anti-HIV medications, treated and discharged.
However a doctor who treated her contradicted the statement she told the court, the doctor said her body was normal during the test and that nothing indicated that she was raped or assaulted.
Francis admitted that he had invited Sharon to help him in photo and video shooting, he however stressed that they agreed to have sex in the forest.
The gospel singer further told the court that Sharon requested him to give her Ksh 600 after the sex but he only had Ksh 400 which she refused to take, vowing to teach him a lesson.
“She told me we could not have sex in the open field and requested that we move further into the forest to avoid the passers-by. When I told her I didn’t have the money, she promised to teach me a lesson,” said Francis.
On Friday Kibera resident magistrate Boaz Ombewa ruled that rape never occurred. The magistrate said that the act was done as an agreement and added that the two agreed to move further into the forest for privacy.
