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Kenya’s Judiciary ‘Silently’ Freed Notorious US Pedophile After Serving 8 Years for Child Abuse
Posted by KFP Editor | Jun 27, 2023 | CORRIDORS OF JUSTICE
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In a shocking turn of events, Terry Ray Krieger, a US pedophile convicted of sexually abusing children in Kenya, has been quietly released from prison after serving only eight years of his 50-year sentence, Kenyan Foreign Policy has confirmed.
Mr. Krieger had filed an appeal which the then Director of Public Prosecutions Nordin Haji March last year urged the High Court to dismiss.
Through Senior Assistant Prosecutor Duncan Ondimu, the DPP submitted that the evidence tendered before the trial court was not in any way discredited by the defense and Krieger readily pleaded guilty.
The DPP asked Justice Bwononga to reiterate the trial court’s message that exposing young vulnerable children to sexual acts shall not be tolerated.
A court document verified by KFP indicates that Justice Bwononga, now retired set the American pedophile free in November last year.
“…the court finds that to order for a re-trial of the appellant (KAM/1251/011/LS- TERRY RAY KRIEGER) would not only be unfair but oppressive as well the court, therefore, declines to order for the re-trial of the appellant with the result that the appellant is hereby set free by honorable justice J.M Bwonong’a judge unless he is held on other lawful acts,’’ read the letter dated 3 November 2022 and addressed to GK Kamiti Prison
The circumstances surrounding his early release remain unclear, leaving many questions unanswered.
Was Krieger’s release carried out discreetly without any official announcement or public scrutiny?
This is a matter that enjoyed public notoriety and had a lot of interest locally and globally.
A senior legal practitioner who spoke to KFP questioned how the DPP who was prosecuting the matter on behalf of the public failed to take notice of that judgment yet there is always a resident prosecutor in the court.
Kenyan Foreign Policy learned of this development 8 months later after Krieger’s case file was closed.
According to credible sources, the American pedophile is said to be resting at his Athi River home.
Asked for a comment on the case, senior assistant prosecutor Duncan Ondimu said he was appalled by the news.
“This is shocking, to say the least. I lack words. The judge said he would invite us for a ruling, and we served our submissions but he never invited us,” a shocked Ondimu told KFP
But we can authoritatively report that the Judiciary Case Tracking System (CTS) indicates the hearing and ruling dates were given.
Where was the state prosecutor when the ruling date was given?
“The DPP cannot escape the hook, how can he fail to know about his case seven months after it was delivered?” asked a Kenyan advocate.
He added, “This is the lethargy of the highest order”.
Krieger’s case first came to light in 2013 when he was apprehended by Kenyan authorities for his involvement in a child sexual abuse ring.
The American pedophile, a repeat offender, was in December 2014 handed a 50-year jail term by Magistrate Joseph Karanja after he had pleaded guilty to a charge of child pornography.
The magistrate described Krieger’s actions as depraved and horrific.
He said Krieger had robbed his victims of their childhood.
According to Daily Nation, the FBI had sent an alert to the Kenyan government about Mr. Krieger, who previously served a 13-year term in the US, after his communication and photos of the children he abused in Kenya were intercepted on the internet.
The 2013 court proceedings were closely watched by activists and the public alike, seeking justice for the innocent victims.
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