An American pedophile who admitted in court that he was sexually assaulting Kenyan children and selling their images on the internet and handed a 50-year sentence is back on the streets after he was silently released last year.
Terry Kreiger was arrested in October 2013 after Interpol alerted Kenyan authorities about an internet user in the country who went by the alias ‘Babytoddler123’ and was making and distributing pedophile material for overseas users.
His arrest came after Interpol investigations in Germany and the United States. The investigations revealed that Kreiger’s victims were children aged between three and 10 residing Ole Polos, Kajiado county 30 kilometres south of Nairobi.
Krieger allegedly exchanged 36 files between December 7, 2013 and May 18, 2014. He would use online media platforms GigaTribe, Yahoo Chat and Skype to send the images.
“Children occupy a special place in society and their rights must be protected,” Nairobi Magistrate Joseph Karanja ruled when sending Kreiger behind bars.
‘The accused has robbed young children of their innocence and it is disturbing that these despicable acts have been going on undetected,’ he said, dismissing the wheelchair-bound Krieger’s contention that he was a paraplegic and should be shown some leniency.
Krieger was also identified as a repeat offender, having been convicted in 1992 in the United States for criminal sexual conduct with an under 13, for which he served three years in prison. He was released in 1995. He then emigrated to Kenya where he continued his evil ways.
According to the findings of a report by the Voice of America dated August 16,2012 where a minor referred by the name ‘John’ was quoted as having said that he started sex work when he was nine years. He did his first pornographic film when he was 11 and his second at 13 years.
Once sent to prison Kreiger appealed his sentence saying it was too harsh. The Director of Prosecution however said in his admission that the 59-year- old American Terry Ray Krieger deserves no mercy because he was caught on tape sexually abusing Kenyan children.
“The victims of the Convict’s heinous crimes are very young children as evidence has clearly shown. The convict took advantage of their vulnerability; he preyed on the victims like an animal stalking its victim. He never offered protection to the minors and the convict forced his experienced, aging body into that of inexperienced, young, and subordinate and dependent vulnerable children victims,’ the state prosecutor submitted.
Ondimu pleaded with court urging it to reiterate the message that was delivered to the convict by the trial court that exposing young vulnerable children to sexual acts shall not be tolerated.
“By doing so, the Court is not in any way making the Convict a scapegoat for others but rather sending a clear message that pornography exhibited by using vulnerable children is a crime that is legally punishable by harsh and severe sentence, the same was passed by the Trial Court,” the DPP submitted.
That was on March 22 last year. It is also the last time that the matter was heard in open court until the shocking discovery that Kreiger was released in November last year without anyone knowing.
Justice Momanyi Bwonwong’a, who retired in March, ordered the release of Krieger from Prison in November 2022 saying “It will be oppressive to order for a re-trial of the convict, who is an American citizen”.
“…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 court order.
What is shocking in all these developments is how no one including the media knew that Kreiger had been released. Additionally, the DPP who was very vocal about the developments of the case has never talked about Kreiger’s release or even appealed the court’s desicion.
Krieger’s release took place around the same time that authorities mysteriously released two Iranians — Ahmed Aboulfathi Mohamad and Sayed Mansour Mousavi — who had been jailed for plotting terror attacks against American and Israeli agents in Nairobi.
Ahmed Aboulfathi Mohamad and Sayed Mansour Mousav were arrested in June 2012 on suspicion of plotting terror attacks against American and Israeli targets in Nairobi. They had five years remaining on their prison sentence.
