An American national has been arraigned in a Malindi court on charges of sexually assaulting a sixteen-year-old girl.
Alexander Antoine Ziegler appeared before Malindi Resident Magistrate Nkrunnah Namnyak but did not take plea after investigation officers asked the court to allow them to hold the suspect for five days to complete investigations.
In a miscellaneous application, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer John Otieno claimed that the foreigner was under investigations on allegations of defiling young girls at his residence in Jimba in the outskirts of the tourist resort town of Watamu in Kilifi County.
Mr Otieno said the suspect was a flight risk since he was a foreigner and urged the court to deny him bond and order the confiscation of his American passport.
He said since the suspect has been accommodating the girl and her parents, he would interfere with witnesses if released on bond.
- Outcry in Uganda over early release of defilement convicts
- Famine looms in Sudan as civil war survivors tell of killings and rapes
According to the reports, Ziegler is alleged to have confessed having defiled the girl after obtaining consent from the minor’s father.
It is also claimed that he has been preaching misleading sermons which could land him in more trouble as the officers could charge him with the offence of radicalization.
However, defence lawyer James Mouko said the five days sought were too many even as he faulted the investigation officers of failing to swear an affidavit on such a serious case.
Ms Namnyak allowed to hold the suspect for four days at the Malindi Police Station and present him before the court on Monday June 24, 2024.
“The suspect is a foreigner and thus a flight risk. Although his passport has been confiscated, our borders are extremely porous as submitted by the prosecution,” she said.
The magistrate said that since the suspect was accommodating the girl’s parents and given that he was under investigation over several offences against minors, she was persuaded that the applicants have demonstrated why they should be allowed more time.
– Emmanuel Masha
Email your news TIPS to Editor@nairobilawmonthly.com, and to advertise with us, call +254715061658 anytime of the day
