German Athlete Jailed for Sending Disturbing Messages to a Kenyan Woman

A 25-year-old German athlete has been sentenced to six months in jail or pay a fine of Sh70,000 after he pleaded guilty to cyber harassment charges.

Weiss Marvin Valentin, an athlete training in Iten, Elgeyo-Marakwet County, was accused of sending text and social media messages to a Kenyan female athlete with the intent to cause anxiety that something bad might happen to her.

The foreigner was charged with four counts of sending disturbing messages to the female athlete, who also trains in Iten, and whom he wanted to be romantically involved with but she turned down his advances.

Valentin pleaded guilty to all the charges before Iten Senior Resident Magistrate Caroline Ateya, who ruled that the German national should leave the country within 72 hours after paying the fine or completing the jail term, failure to which he will be deported.