The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has successfully secured a conviction against a foreign national for committing an indecent act against a minor aboard an international flight.

In a ruling delivered at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) court, Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku sentenced the accused to 10 years in prison, noting that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

According to a statement by DPP, the minor aged 17 had travelled to Kenya from China to attend a United Nations conference.

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Onboard the flight, she was seated in the middle seat when she alleged that the accused, seated in the aisle seat, intentionally touched her inappropriately while she was asleep.

"The minor had travelled from Changsha to Kenya on December 7, 2025, to attend a UN conference, and she was in the middle seat, and he sat in the aisle seat," the statement reads.

It adds that the accused had travelled to Kenya to repair machinery in a shoe factory and arrived aboard a flight on December 7, 2025.

He had boarded the flight in the evening from China after checking in around midnight.

Prosecution led by Allen Mulama and Mercy Katsivo submitted a copy of the minor’s passport, confirming her age at the time of the incident as 17 years.

The accused, who had travelled to Kenya for work purposes, had denied the allegations, claiming that the confined seating on the aircraft caused him discomfort and asserting that he was asleep during the flight.

However, the court found that the minor’s testimony, delivered via video link, was detailed and consistent.

It was also noted that the minor still appeared traumatised by the incident despite the fact that he testified by video link.

“I have considered his defence as well as the submission. He blamed the tight space of the seats in the plan and said he felt squashed. It was also in his defence that he slept during the flight and denied touching anyone inappropriately,” Magistrate Thuku said.

In handing down the sentence, the magistrate found the prosecution had proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

“He is sentenced to 10 years in prison. The time starts to run from the date of his arrest, and upon completion of his prison term, he is to be repatriated back to his country by the Immigration Department,” ruled Magistrate Thuku.

The ruling serves as a reminder of the legal obligations of passengers and airlines to ensure the safety and security of travellers, particularly vulnerable individuals.