Durham to testify in abuse case

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – A 20-year-old Oklahoma man accused of sexually abusing children at a Kenyan orphanage is set to testify in his own defense.

Matthew Lane Durham is scheduled to take the stand Wednesday before a 12-member jury. Defense attorney Stephen Jones says Durham and his father, Oklahoma City Fire Department Maj. Kyle Durham, will both testify as the defense prepares to wrap up its case.

Matthew Durham faces 17 counts of sexual misconduct, including aggravated sexual abuse and engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places. He’s pleaded not guilty and faces up to life in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors allege that Durham molested the children between April and June 2014 while working as a volunteer at the Upendo Children’s Home, which cares for neglected children in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.