Bizzare

Man Falsely Accused of Defiling own Daughter, Released After 17 Years in Jail

Daniel Wanyeki, wrongfully accused of sexually assaulting his daughters, has been released after spending 17 years in prison.

The Thika Law Courts, where he was convicted in 2007, granted him freedom on Wednesday after nearly two decades behind bars.

The Principal Magistrate ruled in favor of Wanyeki’s release, setting his bail at Sh100,000 with a matching surety.

Wanyeki’s troubles began in 2007 when he faced allegations of defiling his daughters, who were seven and nine at the time.

Initially sentenced to 20 years, his punishment was later escalated to life imprisonment following an appeal.

In a significant development in 2020, Wanyeki’s younger daughter, now 24, revealed that her testimony was false.

She stated that family members and a police officer pressured her into making the accusations during a dispute over their late grandfather’s Sh50 million estate.

Thika Chief Magistrate Stella Atambo released him on Sh100,000 cash bail, and ordered the DPP to present any new evidence on January 22, 2025, failing which Wanyeki will be freed unconditionally.