An 85-year-old Swiss national is in police custody after he was allegedly found with a 15-year-old girl at his beachfront villa in Watamu.
Gisler Emil Johann, a Swiss citizen, was apprehended on Tuesday, February 11, following a raid by detectives acting on intelligence from local residents.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the teenager had been reported missing by her parents on 1st February 2026.
"An 85-year-old Swiss national, Gisler Emil Johann, has been arrested in Watamu after allegedly defiling a 15-year-old minor. The case unfolded after the victim’s parents reported her missing on 1st February 2026. Despite efforts to trace her, she could not be found," the DCI said in a statement.
Investigators revealed that community vigilance played a crucial role in cracking the case.
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Neighbours in the upscale Watamu area raised concerns after repeatedly spotting the elderly foreigner accompanied by a young girl who did not appear to be a relative.
"Acting on a tip-off from members of the public that a foreigner was seen with a juvenile in one of Watamu’s villas, police moved swiftly and discovered Gisler with the minor inside the residence," the DCI confirmed.
Police sources say the suspect was apprehended without incident, adding that the teenager was immediately removed from the premises and rushed to hospital for assessment.
"The suspect was immediately taken into custody, while the victim was escorted to Gede Sub-County Hospital for medical examination," the statement added.
Gisler remains in police custody undergoing processing pending his arraignment.
Elsewhere, a deputy headteacher has been jailed for 28 years following his conviction for defiling a 13-year-old pupil at a private school in Thika.
In a statement by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) on Wednesday, January 28, the prosecution confirmed that Mr. John Kamau Wachiuri was found guilty of violating Section 8(1) as read with Section 8(3) of the Sexual Offences Act.
The court established that Wachiuri committed the offense against the minor within the school compound, grossly abusing his position of trust and authority over the learner.
However, on the scheduled judgment date of February 27, 2025, the accused failed to appear in court.
Despite multiple mentions and unsuccessful attempts to secure his attendance, Wachiuri continued to evade justice.
On December 3, 2025, the prosecution applied to the court seeking to have the accused sentenced in his absence.
Senior Resident Magistrate D. Milimu granted the application, ruling that an accused person cannot escape justice by deliberately absconding from court proceedings.
The court subsequently convicted Wachiuri and handed down a 28-year prison sentence in absentia.
