DCI busts human trafficking syndicate recruiting Kenyans for Russia-Ukraine war front
An intelligence-led operation at Great Wall apartments in Athi River on Wednesday night found 21 Kenyans in a house waiting to be processed to travel to Russia.
Security agencies have unravelled a human trafficking syndicate alleged to have been recruiting Kenyans under the guise of providing jobs in Moscow, only to end up joining the Russian military, where they are deployed to the war front with Ukraine.
This is after the Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU) of the DCI led other security officers in an intelligence-led operation at Great Wall apartments in Athi River on Wednesday night, where they found 21 Kenyans in a house waiting to be processed to travel to Russia.
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Also arrested was one Edward Kamau Gituku, who is said to have been coordinating the processing of the victims that were scheduled to travel on diverse dates between this month and next month for enlistment in the military under the guise of lucrative jobs abroad.
Detectives said the victims disclosed that they had signed an agreement with an unnamed overseas employment support agency binding them to pay between Sh1.65 million and Sh2.31 million for visas, travel, accommodation, and logistics.
"Those who fail to pay within 35 days are charged a one per cent daily penalty," they added.
Some of the victims also indicated that they had already paid deposits ranging from Sh50,000 to Sh100,000 upon being promised a salary of Sh200,000.
During the raid, the officers recovered documents suggesting high-level recruitment activities, among them a one-year partnership between Global Face Human Resource Ltd and Ecopillars Manpower Ltd to recruit, screen, and deploy Kenyans to Russia.
"Also recovered were cheque books, travel documents, and job offer letters from different countries," the DCI added.
Preliminary investigations point to a well-coordinated recruitment scam, with some of the main players reported to be senior people in the society. Meanwhile, the victims are still being questioned to shed more light on the matter.
Detectives began investigating cases of Kenyans being lured to engage in the war under the promise of lucrative jobs in China, following revelations that Kenyans were being duped to pay huge amounts to secure employment in Russia, only to end up fighting with Ukrainian forces, where some are reported to have been killed, while those who survive are maimed.
Others bear wounds of torture or seem psychologically disturbed. One of the two victims who returned to the country recently from Russia is admitted to the Kenyatta National Hospital.
Another victim is 36-year-old Evans Kibet, who shared his experience in a clip that has since gone viral, in which he says he is a prisoner of war in Ukraine after he was duped into travelling to Rurria to run track races, only to end up being forced into a military job.
He has since called for help and begged not to be transported to Russia.
Last week, Ukrainian media reported that Kibet was captured by Ukrainian soldiers while serving in the Russian army in Kharkiv Oblast, near the town of Vovchansk.
Quoting the Ukrainian army's 57th Motorised Infantry Brigade, the media added that Kibet had confessed to having travelled to Russia as a tourist only to be deceived into joining the Russian army.
"This case highlights a broader pattern of Russia recruiting foreigners to fight against Ukraine, sometimes through deceptive methods," the Kyiv Independent wrote.
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