Italian Paolo Camellini Acquitted and Released After Four Years in Kenyan Prison
Paolo Camellini, a 53‑year‑old Italian artisan from Goito in the province of Mantova, was detained in Kisumu, Kenya, in February 2022 on accusations of molesting a three‑year‑old child of his former Kenyan partner. He was initially sentenced to life imprisonment, later reduced to a 30‑year term by the Kenyan Court of Appeal. On 31 July 2026 the Kenyan Supreme Court overturned the conviction, granting a definitive acquittal and ordering his immediate release. The decision was confirmed by his lawyer Alex Rienye and the Italian Embassy in Nairobi, which is coordinating his return to Italy. Camellini’s brother Mauro expressed relief, saying, “We finally have justice” and that the family expects the artisan to travel home within the coming weeks. The case, which attracted considerable attention in Italy, highlighted procedural concerns in the original investigation and the role of diplomatic support for citizens detained abroad.
Entities: Court of Appeal of Kisumu · Italian Embassy in Kenya · Kenyan Supreme Court · Kisumu · Mantova · Mauro Camellini · Paolo Camellini
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The court ordered Camellini’s immediate release within hours. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The acquittal ends the criminal case against Camellini in Kenya. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] He was originally sentenced to life imprisonment, later reduced to 30 years, for alleged molestation of a three‑year‑old child. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Paolo Camellini was acquitted in a definitive ruling by the Court of Appeal of Kisumu, Kenya. (All three articles)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Italian Embassy in Kenya closely followed the case and kept contact with Camellini’s family and defense team. (Article 291c225d-ffd6-452f-b56b-eea651e941d1)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Camellini’s brother, Mauro Camellini, said he will return to Italy next week to reunite with his family. (Articles 84164fc0-f412-47b9-af07-259d2abf9414 and 6d2584a2-1a42-4774-acb2-198bf94dbd13)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Camellini had been detained in Kisumu since February 2022. (All three articles)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The association “Insieme per Goito” issued messages of solidarity following Camellini’s release. (Article 291c225d-ffd6-452f-b56b-eea651e941d1)