Police officers from the Transnational Organized Crime Unit stormed a mansion in Kitengela and rescued 58 trapped men.
According to a police statement, the victims, who appeared weak, malnourished, and without identification documents, were found confined in a house near the House of Deliverance Center in Kitengela.
Further, officers stated that the victims, all Ethiopians, may have been victims of a suspected human trafficking ring.
The rescue mission followed a tip-off from concerned members of the public, who noticed suspicious activity at a maisonette in the area.
Acting swiftly, officers raided the house and found the victims in distress, along with two Kenyan nationals identified as Daniel Nduati Kingoo and Peter Maina Kimemia.
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Suspects in the Trafficking Case
The two Kenyans have been arrested and are the main suspects in the case.
“A well-coordinated operation by officers from the Transnational Organized Crime Unit and Kitengela Police Station has successfully rescued 58 Ethiopian nationals who were being held in a house near the House of Deliverance Center in Kitengela.
“During the operation, two suspects were arrested,” a statement from DCI read in part.
Moreover, preliminary investigations suggest that the victims were being held at the house for three days, awaiting transportation to South Africa, a known transit route for illegal migration.
It is believed that the suspects were part of a larger trafficking syndicate that smuggles people through Kenya, exploiting vulnerable individuals seeking better economic opportunities.
Following the rescue, 28 of the victims were taken to Kitengela Police Station, while the remaining 30 were transported to Isinya Police Station for processing.
However, the two suspects were transferred to Muthaiga Police Station, where they are expected to face human trafficking charges.
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Items Discovered by Police at the Kitengela Mansion
During the raid, police also recovered a Honda motorcycle with registration number KMGK 123T, which is now being held at Kitengela Police Station as evidence.
Moreover, investigators are working to determine its connection to the trafficking network and whether it was used to transport the victims or facilitate communication between the traffickers.
Authorities are now looking into the larger trafficking network, with sources suggesting that more individuals could be involved. Kenya has become a key transit point for human traffickers, particularly those smuggling people from Ethiopia, Somalia, and Eritrea into Southern Africa and the Middle East.
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