Kenya child protection detective receives prestigious award in New York
The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) team is in jubilation after one of their own was awarded for his role in the protection of vulnerable and exploited children.
The detective Lawrence Okoth attached to DCI’s Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit, last evening received a prestigious award in Manhattan, New York City.
International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children awarded detective Okoth, at an elaborate gala ceremony for child protection held at Cipriani 42nd Street, New York City.
“Detective Okoth, received the Everyday Hero Award that was also awarded to two other exceptional police officers, one from India and the other from Guatemala, whose outstanding performance in handling matters affecting children and safeguarding their rights stood out across the world,” DCI said.
According to DCI, Okoth is a certified digital forensic investigator who specializes in smoking out paedophiles preying on innocent children.
Okoth has for the past three years utilized his skills to nail suspects who prey on innocent children earning him international recognition.
The detective is a Computer Science graduate from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
One of the key achievements that earned him international recognition was whereby assisted by other officers from the Child Protection unit arrested a 71-year-old paedophile after he shared disturbing tapes online, depicting child sexual abuse.
This led to a manhunt for the elderly man who is a telecommunications pensioner from Germany.
The man had sexually abused two boys aged 11 and 13 in Ukunda, Kwale county before he fled to Nyalenda in Kisumu when he realized that detectives were on his trail.
The elderly man would permanently put his victims on stupefying drugs as Okoth and the team later discovered while rescuing the two boys in Ukunda.
While in Kisumu, the pensioner who received his monthly cheque from his previous employer in Germany, continued luring young boys aged between 11-13 years into his trap.
However, the long arm of the law caught up with the man, and he was arrested on May 2020 in Nairobi, as he tried to escape our dragnet accompanied by yet another juvenile victim.
Since his arrest in 2020, the jailbird has been on remand at the Industrial Area prison as his trial continues.
His efforts to be repatriated back to his country to face trial were received with heavy opposition from Okoth and his team who are keen to have him tried in the country.
Such is the good work that attracted the International Centre of Missing and Exploited Children based in the United States, earning detective Okoth global recognition, and an invitation to receive the Everyday Hero Award, thousands of miles away from home.
The Chief Executive Officer of the International Centre for Missing Children Bob Cunningham gave detective Okoth a glowing tribute for a job well executed and for being a frontline defender of children’s rights.
In his acceptance remarks, the detective could barely hold his tears of joy as the guests gave him a standing ovation.
Okoth moved the guest in attendance further as he recounted incidents of how he had rescued minors from exploitation and helped them regain back their lives and dignity.
He acknowledged the immense support that he had received from the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children in terms of training.
Okoth also acknowledged his colleagues at the Child Protection Unit with whom they work closely together in rescuing vulnerable children.
He also took the opportunity to thank the director DCI George Kinoti, for his visionary leadership and stewardship of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
Also awarded with a lifetime achievement award in the elaborate ceremony was U.S Senator Ron Wyden.
Wyden represented Oregon in the U.S Congress for the past 26 years and sponsored hundreds of bills in support of child protection.
Detective Okoth was accompanied by DCI’s chief of Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and ICT Inspector Mike Mugo, who represented the DCI in the award ceremony.
