Dutch authorities investigate man for alleged child abuse in Kenya

Dutch authorities are investigating a 74-year-old man accused of sexual offenses against children at orphanages in Kenya. Prosecutors at a Den Bosch court hearing revealed allegations including the repeated sexual abuse of two girls and the production of child sexual abuse material dating back to 2011.

The suspect was previously investigated in Kenya regarding allegations involving at least 21 children, but that case resulted in an acquittal in 2023 after witnesses and parents withdrew their statements. Dutch prosecutors have expressed suspicion that bribes and threats may have influenced those withdrawals.

Investigators are also reviewing a prior conviction from the early 1990s in the Netherlands, where the man received a prison sentence for sexually abusing six children. The suspect has been in custody since May, following his return to the Netherlands to renew his passport. Dutch officials are currently seeking mutual legal assistance to question witnesses in Kenya and gather further evidence.