This archive report was first published on 18 June 2020.
Gregory Dow, a 61-year-old US missionary, has admitted to sexually abusing four Kenyan orphans between 2013 and 2017. The abuse occurred at a children's home in Bomet County, which Dow had established in 2008.
According to court documents, Dow used his position as a Christian missionary to gain the trust of the orphans and their guardians. He promised them free education and a better life, but instead, he exploited their vulnerability for his own sexual gratification.
One of the victims, who wishes to remain anonymous, recalled the trauma she experienced at the hands of Dow. 'As a child, you never forget that face. That look of an animal looking at you,' she said.
The victims' families are now demanding harsh penalties for Dow, including a longer prison sentence and compensation for the abuse they suffered. 'He should be punished harshly for messing up the lives of our children,' said one of the victims' grandmothers.
Dow fled the country in 2017 to avoid arrest and prosecution, but he has now pleaded guilty to four counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. He will serve 15 years and eight months in prison and register as a sex offender.
The case has raised concerns about the lack of oversight and regulation of foreign missionaries operating in Kenya. The government has been accused of allowing and licensing Dow to operate despite knowing about his past.
As the victims' families continue to seek justice, they are also calling on the government to take responsibility for the education and care of the orphans who were abused.
