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American guilty of statutory rape of Kenyan girls

Category: International Published on Thursday, 17 September 2009 12:10 Written by Associated Press

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)—A magistrate in Kenya has sentenced an American who founded a popular chain of coffee shops to 15 years in prison for the statutory rape of three teenage Kenyan girls.

Principal Magistrate Teresia Ngugi says Jon Cardon Wagner paid two women $500 to bring the 13-year-old and two 14-year-olds to his house. A Nairobi court convicted and sentenced him Sept. 11.

Ngugi says his alibi was weak because it relied on the word of his friends.

Wagner’s lawyer Mohammed Nyaoga says his client is the victim of an extortion racket and will appeal.

Nairobi Java House began a culture of gourmet coffee drinking nine years ago and now has eight coffee shops in the capital. It is popular with wealthy Kenyans and expatriates.

The chain also exports Kenyan coffee to America and Europe.