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Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Mwalimu Abduba Dida free after serving 3 years in US jail

Former Kenyan presidential candidate Mohammed Abduba Dida/FILE

Two-time presidential candidate Mwalimu Mohammed Abduba Dida is a free man after serving a 3-year jail term in the United States of America.

Dida was expected to leave the facility on April 3, 2029, after he was initially sentenced to 7 years, however, he was released on parole.

Being “released on parole” means a prisoner is conditionally released from prison before their sentence is fully served, to serve the remainder of their sentence in the community under supervision.

According to records from the Big Muddy Correctional Facility in Illinois, Mwalimu Dida walked to freedom on March 3, so he will offer philanthropy services for the remainder of his sentence in the US.

Dida had been held at the correctional facility since November 18, 2022, after he was found guilty of stalking and intimidating his American wife in the Midwestern US state.

Court documents indicated that Dida violated a restraining order when he entered an area deemed off-limits under U.S. law.

The incident occurred when he went to a mosque located near the residence of the protected individual.

Though his intention was reportedly to attend prayers, the visit placed him within a restricted zone, leading to his arrest and subsequent incarceration.

“He went to a mosque nearby to pray, not knowing it was within an area he was barred from entering, as Mama Lila also frequently visited the same mosque,” a family member explained.

Dida’s relatives argue that the breach was accidental and are appealing for government support and legal aid.

He would later be incarcerated at the Big Muddy Correctional Centre in Illinois, following an earlier detention at the Southwestern Correctional Center.

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