A Dutch national who runs a charity organisation in Kisumu and Eldoret has been charged with sexually molesting minors and exposing them to pornography in Uasin Gishu County.
Jan Int Veld alias Dad Ok alias Teacher Jan alias Mzungu is facing multiple charges, including committing an indecent act, sexual communication and child pornography.
The accused is alleged to have committed the offences between April 2022 and June 2022 in Turbo, Uasin Gishu County.
The charge sheet states that he intentionally, unlawfully and indecently assaulted the minor aged 16 years.
In another count, he is accused of intentionally and unlawfully communicating with a minor through WhatsApp in a manner intended to encourage the minor to communicate sexually.
The accused is also facing charges of sharing pornographic images and videos with two minors through his WhatsApp account, with the intention to encourage the minors to engage in sexual acts.
The accused was presented before the Milimani Law Courts Chief Magistrate Charity Oluoch on Friday and was remanded until Monday when the court freed him on bond.
Judge Oluoch said there was no compelling reason to deny the accused bond since the prosecution failed to prove that he was a flight risk.
The prosecution had opposed his release on bond saying he has no fixed home and therefore, likely to be a flight risk.
The prosecution had argued that the offences attract harsh penalties and therefore “a big incentive for the accused to escape once released on bond.”
But the Magistrate said bond is a constitutional right for all suspects regardless of their nationality and social status.
The court ordered the accused to deposit bond of Sh2 million in court and present two Kenyan contact persons as sureties.
The accused was also directed to deposit his passport in court and the matter fixed for hearing on January 9, 2024.
The Dutchman has been charged a few weeks after another foreigner, Terry Ray Krieger, was arraigned before a Machakos court to answer to sex-related offences.
Krieger, who had been jailed for 50 years but freed under unclear circumstances, was charged with six fresh tocounts ranging from sexual assault, being in the country unlawfully, child pornography, benefitting from child prostitution, promoting sexual offence and child abuse before the Mavoko Law Courts on November 22, 2023.
The 68-year-old is accused of committing the offences on diverse dates between January 16 and May 26, 2022, by intentionally and unlawfully received obscene images of minors aged 10 and 7 years for sexual gratification.
Krieger was detained until February 22, 2024 for pre-trial hearing.
