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The Channels

Kafatia gets eight years

Tracy Chamberlin

Issue date: 9/14/05 Section: News

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Kent Kafatia, the 22-year-old former City College security guard charged with rape, was sentenced Aug. 29 to eight years in state prison for raping a 20-year-old woman.
Deputy Public Defender Karen Atkins said Kafatia is waiting to be transported to a California state prison. She said she thinks the eight-year sentence is excessive under the circumstances of the case and plans on filing a civic appeal.
"I felt that the sentencing procedure was extremely unfair," she said. "He used poor judgment, but was not a predator." A jury convicted Kafatia of felony rape and misdemeanor false imprisonment on July 5. They deadlocked on six other felony counts.
Three alleged victims were involved in the eight counts levied against him. Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge Clifford Anderson delivered the maximum sentence for felony rape under state law.
Kafatia was working a graveyard shift when he offered the 20-year-old woman a ride home in a City College security truck.
Kafatia, originally from Malawi, Africa came to Santa Barbara to study at UCSB with financial help from a group of former Peace Corp volunteers in Africa, called "The Friends of Kent."
"I think the whole perception of him was exaggerated," Aktins said. "We're just moving on from here." Deputy District Attorney Mary Baron said she does not plan to retry Kafatia on the six counts the jury deadlocked on.
"We felt justice was served with the eight year sentence," Baron said. "We felt it was in the best interest of the victims to not go forward with a new trial."

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