An Eldoret Court has sentenced a 23-year-old man to serve three years in prison after he was found guilty of assaulting another man for eloping with his 17-year-old girlfriend.

Eldoret Senior Principal Magistrate Richard Odenyo heard the convict, Emanuel Sidani, confess before court that he engaged the complainant, Ezekiel Aluvale, in a fight after being tipped off that Aluvale was behind the disappearance of his girlfriend.

The accused wilfully and unlawfully assaulted the plaintiff on May 17, 2023, at Kambi Mawe village in Tapsagoi location within Turbo Sub County, causing him actual bodily harm in violation of section 251 of the penal code, the court heard.

The accused stormed into the complainant's home and saw him having fun with the purported girlfriend, which infuriated the accused, the prosecution claimed through Ms. Gladys Kenei.

The accused testified in court that he attacked the complainant and struck him with a blunt weapon after realizing that his girlfriend, who had been missing for several days, was in the home of the complainant.

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The accused also allegedly smashed the complainant's television set, according to information provided to the court.

The plaintiff was seriously hurt and taken by ambulance to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, where he received treatment and spent approximately two months in hospital.

A second accusation of malicious property damage was brought against the defendant, but the prosecution withdrew it after determining that it was insufficient.

The accused said in mitigation that he was overcome with rage and envy after learning that someone had secretly eloped with a woman he cherished.

He pleaded with the court, "I beg this court to forgive me. It was out of emotions that I did what I did."

The judge gave the accused a three-year prison sentence after saying that his attack on the complainant in his home was full of arrogance and that he deserved a harsh punishment to warn other young people who behave in the same way.

However, he was given 14 days to appeal.