Suspected German paedophile Thomas Scheller held 21 days

A German national suspected to be a paedophile has been detained 21 days for a police investigation into allegations of human trafficking, defilement, child abuse and trading in pornographic material.

Thomas Scheller was detained following an application by a senior police officer attached to the women and children’s rights division of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

Officer Lawrence Okoth Okoth told a court on Tuesday that Mr Scheller had been been on the police radar since he was linked to a German-based child abuser, to whom he allegedly sent pornographic materials video-taped in Kwale County and its environs.

“Police have been following the movements of the suspect who escaped a dragnet in Kwale on April 4,” Mr Okoth told Milimani Principal Magistrate Carolyne Muthoni Nzibe.

He said police found the suspect in Kisumu town with a 15-year-old primary school pupil mid April.

“Again he managed to sneak away from the police dragnet,” he said, adding the information was shared by agencies that launched a manhunt.

Mr Scheller resurfaced in Nairobi a few days later despite the cessation of movement order to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The officer said the suspect was arrested at the entrance to the German embassy with the male pupil on Monday. He had been trailed from a lodging in Ngara.

“Due to the nature of the investigation and the immense travelling involved, I request you allow police to detain the suspect for 60 days,” Mr Okoth told the magistrate.

“Sixty days? They are far too many,” Ms Nzibe quipped.

The officer replied, “They are not many since investigation will involve Kwale, Kisumu and other parts of the coastal region.”

Mr Okoth noted that an investigation had begun in Kwale before the suspect escaped.

The magistrate ordered Mr Scheller’s detention for 21 days but said the period would be extended if necessary.